Winning 2015 ABC Heywire Innovation Awards Team
HEYWIRE TEAM’S BOOTS FOR CHANGE CONCEPT
The original BOOTS FOR CHANGE idea was founded on the fact the ABC Heywire girls all hail from farming communities.
‘For us the beauty of Australian produce is that it’s grown by our mums and dads, who care for our livestock and environment. We see the struggle and hardship that farming families go through to produce food for Australia’s dinner tables. We think more people need to appreciate this.
‘More and more people value local, seasonal fresh food and are willing to pay for it. We want you to put your boots on and head down to your local farmers’ market to show your local producers that you care and want them to keep producing healthy farm fresh Australian food.’
They envisaged a special BOOTS FOR CHANGE Farmers’ Market Day where everyone wore boots to their local farmers’ market – the symbol of an awareness campaign celebrating local food and farmers.
And so we have activated their idea and created BOOTS FOR CHANGE Market Days…
What do we want to change?
- Attitudes – let’s recognise and celebrate the hardworking farming families across Australia who produce our food
- Food shopping habits – what’s more healthy than shopping for local, seasonal produce picked and packed the day of the market (or the day before)
- Let’s get cooking – markets are a great way to learn about fresh ingredients and how to cook them
- Or even Growing your own ! Some farmers’ market stallholders sell vegie seedlings and chickens to get your backyard food chain started…partner with a local school to create a food garden…create a verge food garden…or a mushroom patch in the garage
- Encourage more young people to take up careers in agriculture – or stay on the family farm
- Closer connections between rural and urban communities
- Improved understanding of challenges facing farmers – water, competing land uses, weather extremes
Basically we invite you to pull on your boots and head on down to your nearest farmers market to join the conversation…
Market operators are invited and encouraged to get involved in BOOTS FOR CHANGE month – APRIL 2016. 
Australian Farmers’ Markets Association (AFMA)
The Australian Farmers’ Markets Association (AFMA) is a voluntary organisation convened in 2003 to create a networking entity committed to supporting the development and growth of best-practice and sustainable farmers’ markets across Australia. AFMA assists market operators to exchange information, coordinate policy, and promote grower-centric farmers’ markets across Australia. AFMA also provides helpful information to farmers seeking opportunities to sell their fresh produce directly to consumers through Australian farmers’ markets – and helps shoppers to locate their nearest farmers’ market.