A REDUCTION in red tape will make it easier for producers to sell meat at farmers markets.

The Victorian Government has declared local councils were responsible for ensuring pre-packaged meat for sale at markets met industry standards, rather than regulator PrimeSafe.

Agriculture Minister Peter Walsh said the new exemption made it clear that as long as the meat was slaughtered and packaged at a licenced meat processing facility and stored in robust leak-proof containers, it could be sold at market under the Food Safety Act 1984.

"The transport of the meat to market is now also clearly included in the exemption,'' Mr Walsh said.

"This means farmers do not have to pay for a registered meat transport vehicle to carry their goods, as long as the meat complies with the other exemption requirements. This will greatly reduce the costs and regulatory burden placed on farmers.''