The health and happiness of your pet is our #1 priority. We do not include horse meat in any of our Farmers Market pet foods. We know you may be concerned following the recent recall of raw pet meat sold by a knackery in Gippsland VIC, and we hope the below information helps put your mind at ease. Our team is available and ready to help answer any questions you have, simply call us at 1800 732 573 (option 1).

Do you use horse meat in any of your products?
No, we do not include horse meat in any of our pet foods. We encourage our customers to review our product packaging as we list all ingredients in line with the Australian Standards to ensure you can make an informed decision as a pet parent when purchasing our products.

Do you source meat from the knackery in Gippsland Victoria?
No, we do not source any meat from knackeries. We source all our meat from well-known and trusted Australian suppliers who must meet our strict quality and safety requirements to supply to us.

Are any of your products impacted by the raw meat recall in Gippsland Victoria during July 2021?
No. None of our products are impacted by this recall.

How do you know your products are safe?
We are pet parents too and feed our RPF products to our own dogs and cats with confidence. As such, we take the quality and safety of our products very seriously. We are members of the Pet Food Industry Association of Australia (PFIAA) and produce all our products in line with the Australian Standards (AS5812), within factories accredited to meet global food standards such as the SQF global food standards. These manufacturing standards address all quality control aspects associated with manufacturing pet foods, including the management of raw material selection and handling, factory management, product formulation, process monitoring as well as control and labelling consistency of finished pet foods. Additionally, as part of our PFIAA membership all our factories are 3rd party audited to ensure we are compliant with the Australian Standards

At Farmers Market we believe pets deserve delicious, healthy pet food without any added nasties for optimum health and wellbeing. We create wholesome and nourishing natural food straight from nature to your pet’s bowl, keeping your furry friend healthy and happy.

Grain-free pet food can be of benefit for pets who may not feel their best when eating foods containing grain. This includes grains such as corn, soy or wheat. At Farmers Market, all our pet food includes absolutely no added grains. Instead, all of our recipes use a combination of meat and vegetables, with added vitamins, minerals and other trace nutrients for complete and balanced daily nutrition.

Both dogs and cats need protein in their food for energy and a healthy immune system. One of the best sources of protein is meat, but not all meat proteins are high in quality. At Farmer’s Market, we only use high quality natural Australian meat as the first ingredient in all our dog food, cat food, kitten food, puppy food as well as our healthy dog treats and cat treats.

Where possible, we apply slow cooking techniques to ensure our dog food and cat food retains its nutrients and taste. All of our products are also free from artificial flavours, colours, and preservatives.

With so many pet products coming out that look like food but are actually treats or toppers or supplements, the lines are being blurred about what “foods” are complete and which aren’t. Every pet owner should know the meaning of “Complete and Balanced,” and how to tell which products are or aren’t based on its label.

“Complete and Balanced” means: 

the food contains all the vitamins and minerals needed to prevent most diseases caused by nutritional deficiencies. This means it can be fed as the dog’s entire diet.

Why Is It So Important To Know What “Complete And Balanced” Means?

Dogs that are not fed complete diets may become deficient in some vitamins and minerals, which may result in disease or an early death.

The Danger Of Home-Cooked Meals

Many people who truly love their dogs choose to cook all their dog’s meals themselves. This would be advisable under one circumstance alone: that they are consulting with a veterinarian or veterinary nutritionist when formulating their dog’s food.

It may seem very intuitive to choose ingredients to feed your dog, but it’s extremely difficult to provide all the correct vitamins and minerals in the correct quantities. It takes years of research to know how each vitamin and mineral interacts with each other and whether they need other factors, such as certain amounts of moisture or fiber, in order to be effectively absorbed by your dog’s body.

Why An “Unbalanced” Diet Is Especially Dangerous

If there is too much or too little of a particular nutrient in your dog’s diet, it can have a rippling effect and cause a surprising amount of physical harm to the body. For example, according to VCA Hospitals, an irreversible form of arthritis is just one of several conditions that can be caused by too much vitamin A. This is why pet-owners should always consult a vet about nutritional supplements for their dogs.

One of the leading causes of disease in pets today is actually not resulting from lack of nutrition but an overabundance of it. Too many of us are feeding our pets too much. We’re speaking about the obesity epidemic facing pets today. Just a few of the problems caused by obesity include:

• Joint pain or diminished mobility

• Shorter lifespanLess interest in activity

• Skin issues as a result of compromised resistance to infection

• Greater risk of complications during surgery

The list goes on…

3 Common Habits That Can Cause A Diet To Be “Incomplete”

Feeding “people food”.

While it is true dogs are omnivores this doesn’t mean they should be eating whatever we eat. “People food” is flavored with ingredients that often upset dogs’ stomachs. In addition to causing them pain, an upset stomach may cause them to refuse eating their regular dog food and throw their diet off balance. It should also be noted that some artificial sweeteners are toxic to dogs, and it’s not always obvious what foods these ingredients could be hiding in.

Feeding too many treats.

For the same reasons you don’t want to give your dog too much “people food,” you should avoid giving him too many treats as well. He can easily fill up on junk food - or become spoiled - and resist eating his complete, balanced dog food. It can also be having adverse reactions to his digestion that may not be obvious to you. Besides that, excess treats is one of the easiest ways to cause obesity in your pet.

Accidentally feeding dog foods that are actually NOT complete and balanced.

More and more new and exciting products are becoming available for our pets. However, the differences between the nutritionally complete diets and other food products are becoming less obvious. When purchasing food meant to be your dog’s main diet, be sure to read the packaging and find the label that says it's “formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by AAFCO Dog Nutrient Profiles.” It’s fine to feed incomplete food items from time to time, just be sure they receive their complete diet every day for optimal health.

The Take-Home Message…

It’s important to be mindful of how balanced your dog’s daily diet is.

Follow these tips to be sure your dog isn’t consuming too much or too little nutrition;

Check the packaging of the foods you buy for your dog to make sure the AAFCO or FEDIAF statement is thereMake sure you’re following the feeding guidelines found on the packaging of your dog’s food when measuring how much to give. Every brand has a different suggested amount! Treat in moderation

If you’re concerned your dog’s diet has not been complete and balanced, consult your vet!

We are available in a range of supermarkets across Australia. Visit our Where to Buy page to see where we are stocked. Otherwise please Contact Us.

If for any reason you or your pet are not satisfied our products, please Contact Us and we will provide a replacement.

You can always cancel your order for a full refund prior to shipping. If you wish to cancel an order prior to shipping, or have any questions, please contact our Customer Care team by clicking HERE.

We will refund you via the original manner in which you paid for the relevant order.  Unfortunately, we cannot direct refunds to different accounts or payment methods.

Unfortunately, we have a no return, refund, or exchange policy. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause!

Unfortunately, our Customer Care team is unable to assist you with any stockist purchases. Please reach out to stockists for more information on their return policy!