Alberta Approved Farmers' Market Program

How Do I Start An Alberta Approved Farmers' Market?

Best Practices for Alberta Approved Farmers' Markets

A review of the farmers’ market best practices available on-line, Interviews with market managers, who were selected using market size, location, focus and success, and Market visits, which included conversations with market vendors.

Managing and leading the market

Market governance

Planning and strategy

Location, environment and layout

Vendor recruitment, selection and expectations

Community engagement

Market promotions

Market activities and special events

The vendor’s role

Evaluation and statistics

Annual Requirements

Sponsor Approval Form - Must be printed and signed by the President of the sponsoring organization. Due January 31 of every year. Farmers' Market Annual Paperwork Package Market Information Form - Collects at-a-glance contact information about your market for the upcoming market season. Statistical Update Form - Collects statistical information about your market for the season just completed. This information is compiled and a summary is placed on the www.sunnygirl.ca website. Vendor List and Instructions - Collects information about your vendors. It is essential that you include all the times each vendor has attended your market as this number is used to calculate averages for your market, i.e. the 80/20 split and average number of vendors. Be sure to include all vendors in your listing even if they are only casual vendors or if they only came for your special markets, i.e. Christmas markets Website/Mobile Phone App Information Form - The information on this form is used to populate our Sunnygirl website and mobile app. The farmers' market brochure will no longer be printed.

Food Safety

Farmers' Market Food Safety Home Study Course

The safety of the food being sold at approved farmers’ markets is critical to the success of farmers’ markets in Alberta. Alberta Agriculture and Forestry (AF) is committed to ensuring market managers and vendors have a minimum level of food safety training. Working in partnership with Alberta Health Services and Alberta Health, a farmers' market food safety home study course was developed and is available on-line through Alberta Health Services. The course certificate expires after three years. To renew, the course exam must be completed and submitted again.

Alberta Agriculture and Forestry is requiring that all market managers, food vendors and their employees selling at Alberta approved farmers' markets complete this course within one year of becoming a market manager or food vendor.



Exception: Completion of this course is not required for those individuals who have already completed an approved Alberta food sanitation and hygiene training program and/or who are required to complete the food safety training described under Section 31 of the Food Regulation.



Upon successful completion of the course (passing grade of 80%), you will be sent a certificate by Alberta Health Services.



Managers and vendors must display their certificates at the market. For vendors who are selling at multiple markets, a copy of the certificate is acceptable for display purposes.



A food vendor is defined as any vendor selling a food product. This includes but is not limited to fresh fruits and vegetables, protein products, and all food products that have been baked and processed. Vendors of prepackaged products, i.e. vendors operating as distributors, who do not actually handle the food product are advised to take this training but are not required to do so UNLESS they are sampling those products at the market.



Market Manager and Vendor Food Safety Checklists

These simple self-evaluation checklists highlight areas of concern in food handling at the market and will help you think about the food safety risks. They will help you identify the things that you are doing right and things that need to be changed and improved. Four different checklists are available:



Manager startup checklist;

Manager weekly checklist;

Vendor startup checklist;

Vendor weekly checklist.

For further information contact Eileen Kotowich.



Alberta Health Services Farmers' Market Information

Alberta Health Services (AHS) has compiled all their standard operating procedures (SOPs) for farmers' markets into an easy-to-read information package . These documents are provincial in nature and are used with all approved farmers' markets across Alberta. This package includes:

Information for Farmers' Market Managers and Stallholders,

Farmers' Market Manager's Checklist - Daily,

Farmers' Market Vendors' Food Safety Checklist ,

Farmers' Market Guidelines for Canning Lids and Jars.

Webinars

Sunnygirl Logo

Alberta Approved Farmers' Market Directory

Publications and Resources