Alberta Approved Farmers' Markets

1. Approved Farmers' Market Program Application form
2. Alberta Approved Farmers' Market Program Guidelines - updated January 2011
3. Checklist for starting a new market
4. Sample market rules
5. Sample vendor application - This Word document is intended to be downloaded and revised to suit the needs of the individual markets.
6. Public Health Act Food Regulation - Part 3 pertains to Farmers' Markets. There are other sections referred to as well which you must be aware of when operating an approved farmers' market.
7. Roles and Responsibilities of Boards, Sponsors and Advisory Committee - This document defines the various roles and responsibilities for these important governing bodies.

1. Sponsor Approval Form - Must be printed and signed by the President of the sponsoring organization. Currently only available as a downloadable pdf
2. Market Information Form - Currently only available as a downloadable pdf
3. Statistical Update Form - Currently only available as a downloadable pdf
4. Vendor List and Instructions - Markets can either use this form or provide their own as long as it contains all the required information. Currently only available as a downloadable pdf
5. Map Brochure Form - required if you want your market information in the annual brochure and on the sunnygirl.ca website. Currently only available as a downloadable pdf

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 Rural Development (ARD) 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 and Wellness, a farmers' market food safety home study course was developed over the past year and is now available on-line. Click on Home Study Course for Farmers' Markets.

Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development is requiring that all market managers and food vendors 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 pre-packaged products, ie 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.

Sunnygirl Logo

The Sunnygirl is the trademarked visual identity or logo for Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development approved farmers' markets. This logo helps the consumer identify that the market is approved and they are affiliated with a chain of high quality markets offering Alberta-produced products that consumers can trust. If you are an Alberta approved farmers' market, you can use the Sunnygirl logo in your promotions. Contact Eileen Kotowich to get a copy of the logo to use in your promotions.

Alberta Approved Farmers' Market Directory

Our directory is an interactive map that shows all the markets in the province or select a region to get a closer look at the markets in that area. Click on a pin and you will see information about that market, including location, dates and times.

Publications and Resources

Farmers' Market Managers' Resource Manual
The purpose of this manual is to help managers of Alberta Approved Farmers' Markets operate economically successful, community-based farmers' markets across Alberta. It is designed as a reference manual and is divided into sections to allow easy access to information on an as-needed basis.

Marketing Food Safely - Farm Direct Advantage
Developed in partnership with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development and the Alberta Farmers' Market Association, the Marketing Food Safely home study manual is a distance delivery education tool for farm direct marketers. The manual is a reference guide, a workbook and a planning tool. It focuses on marketing activities, not production or processing. It is available here for download as a pdf. If you would prefer a hard copy, it is available for purchase through the Alberta Farmers' Market Association.

How to be a Farmers' Market Vendor Information Sheet
The purpose of this information sheet is to provide information to vendors and potential vendors on selling at farmers’ markets.

Farmers' Market Strategic Planning Workbook
The purpose of this workbook is to provide market managers, boards and sponsors with a template to work through a strategic planning process for the market. Strategic plans should be develop and reviewed on an annual basis. The Strategic Planning Template is useful when developing and agreeing on action plans for the market.

Farmers' Market Manager Job Description
This information sheet was developed as a guide for markets to use when developing a job description for the market manager position. Not all the material contain within will apply to all markets and so the document should be customized for each 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 for hard copies of these checklists.

Alberta Health Services Farmers' Market Information
Alberta Health Services (AHS) has shared the information package they give to farmers' market managers. These documents are provincial in nature and are used with all approved farmers' markets across Alberta. This package includes: Farmers' Market 2010 Brochure, Farmers' Market Guidelines for Canning Lids and Jars, Farmers' Market Manager's Daily Checklist, Farmers' Market Vendor's Food Safety Checklist.

Newsletters

• Hort Snacks Newsletter - Hort Snacks is a monthly newsletter targeted at direct market horticulture crop producers and related industry. It contains timely articles and topics related to all aspects of horticulture crop production opeations, including production, business and marketing. Upcoming conferences and workshops (regional, provincial, national and international) are listed. There are also thought provoking items, as well as monthly interactive questions and answers.
• Direct Currents - Alberta Farm Fresh Producers Association quarterly newsletter containing helpful information related to farm direct marketing your products. Become a member and receive this valuable benefit of membership.

• Farm Direct Sales: Know the Regulations Agdex 845-7
• Farm Direct Marketing for Rural Producers Agdex 845-6
• Selling Eggs at Farmers' Markets
• Direct Marketing Meats...Selling Meat at Alberta Approved Farmers' Markets Agdex 430/845-1
• Direct Marketing Meats...Selling Lamb at Alberta Approved Farmers' Markets Agdex 430/845-2
• Direct Marketing Meats
• E-Commerce Marketing
• Community Shared Agriculture

What is the status of the local food market in Alberta? Where are we at today? This report shows us the demographics, the present market value and the change over the past four years for the farm retail, farmers' markets, and farm activities sector of the ‘eat, shop, experience’ Alberta- based market. In addition we have obtained the percentage of farm retail, and farmers' markets that can be attributed to Alberta-grown or made foods as well as the benefits and barriers to purchasing local as perceived by Albertans. This information will contribute to a foundation and food for thought for the developing programs within the Explore Local Initiative. Executive Summary (pdf 204 kb) For more information on the Explore Local Initiative, click here.

• Explore Local Initiative - Explore Local is a new initiative set up by ARD to help producers and others build on the success to date and further capture growth opportunities in the local food market. It involves a multi-disciplinary team with a range of knowledge and experience in the local food area, aimed toward connecting people and facilitating sustainable businesses by providing information, learning opportunities, coaching, mentoring and advocacy. All share a vision of a local food market sector in Alberta that is well-positioned to meet the growing consumer demand for experiencing local agri-food products and services.
• Alberta Farmers' Market Association - The Alberta Farmers' Market Association (AFMA) is a provincial organization providing leadership and support to member markets, managers and vendors through education and promotion.
• Alberta Farm Fresh Producers Association - The Alberta Farm Fresh Producers Association is a provincial organization whose mission is to develop a profitable and sustainable farm direct marketing industry through promotion, education and collaboration with government and industry partners.
• Farmers' Markets Canada
• FarmOn.Com - FarmOn.Com is an agricultural social networking community leading the way by offering essential tools that assist young producers and farmers to explore the information, learning and resources that support the sustainability of the family farm. Members can connect and network with fellow producers through personal pages, message boards, blogs and online chats, learning from the innovation, stories and ideas of their peers.
• BC Association of Farmers' Markets
• Farmers' Markets in Saskatchewan
• Saskatchewan Farmers' Market Cooperative
• Farmers' Market Coalition
• National Association of Produce Market Managers
• USDA Farmers' Markets
• Great Sales Tips from Nina Planck - founder of London England farmers' markets
• Farm Direct Marketing Links
• General Marketing Links