Resources for farmers’ market managers and vendors

Forms and documents

Reporting

To retain their approved status, Alberta approved farmers' markets are required to submit the following forms to Program staff by January 15 of each year:

• Annual Paperwork Package
• Vendor List (DOCX)
• Vendor List (XLSX)
• Sponsor Approval Form

Job description

The manager plays one of the most critical roles in the market and requires specific skills and knowledge. At an Alberta approved farmers’ market, the manager’s key responsibilities are to:

• liaise with the board of directors, vendors, the Alberta government, public health inspector, and other regulatory agencies
• enforce market rules
• ensure the guidelines are adhered to
• ensure vendors are compliant with Section 36 – Stallholder requirements of the Food Regulation

A job description should be developed for your market manager so that everyone is clear about duties and responsibilities. See Sample Farmers’ Market Manager Job Description.

Market manager training

Within one year of being hired, managers of Alberta approved farmers’ markets must:

• Read the Farmers' Market Manager Training Manual.
• Fill in and submit the test questions.

A passing grade of 80% is required to receive a certificate of completion.

Farmers' Market Manager Training Manual and Test questions

Manual appendices

• Appendix 1a Program Application Form
• Appendix 1b Starting an Alberta Approved Farmers Market
• Appendix 2 Farmers Market Guidelines
• Appendix 3a Email Consent
• Appendix 3b Annual Paperwork Package
• Appendix 3c Vendor List
• Appendix 3d Sponsor Approval Form
• Appendix 4 Market Manager Job Description
• Appendix 5a Conflict Resolution Resources
• Appendix 5b Sample Vendor Code of Conduct
• Appendix 6 Sunnygirl Usage Guidelines
• Appendix 7a Basic Food Labelling Guide
• Appendix 7b Labelling Your Food Product
• Appendix 7c Basic Cosmetics Requirements Guide
• Appendix 8 Food Regulation
• Appendix 9a Information for Managers and Stallholders (Alberta Health Services)
• Appendix 9b Low-risk Home-prepared Food: Fact sheet for operators (Alberta Health Services)

To supplement the information contained in the manual, 3 YouTube videos have been developed and posted on the Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation YouTube channel.

The safety of the food sold at approved farmers’ markets is critical to the success of farmers’ markets within Alberta. Within one year of being hired, managers of Alberta approved farmers’ markets must complete the online food safety course, Alberta Food Safety Basics for Farmers’ Markets (Under Online Courses)

Forms and fact sheets

• Food Safety Checklist: Market Start-up
• Food Safety Checklist: Market Weekly
• Information for Farmers' Market Managers and Stallholders (Alberta Health Services)
• Low-risk home prepared foods
• Best Practices for Alberta Approved Farmer's Markets
• Promoting your Alberta Approved Farmers' Market
• Evaluating your Alberta approved Farmers' Market
• Special Market Protocol
• Vendor Application Template
• Sample Vendor Code of Conduct

Board governance resources for non-profit organizations are available through the Non-Profit Learning Centre, an online resource developed by the Community Development Unit of Alberta Arts, Culture and Status of Women.

Farmers' markets are the most popular of the farm direct marketing channels by both vendors and customers alike.

Food safety training

The safety of the food sold at approved farmers' markets is critical to the success of farmers' markets in Alberta. Within one year of becoming a vendor of a food product at an Alberta approved farmers’ market, vendors must complete the online food safety course:

• Alberta Food Safety Basics for Farmers’ Markets (Under Online Courses)

Forms and documents

• How to be a Farmers' Market Vendor
• Basic food labelling guide
• Basic cosmetics requirements guide
• Merchandising video series
• Food safety checklist: vendor startup
• Food safety checklist: vendor weekly
• Information for Farmers' Market Managers and Stallholders (Alberta Health Services)
• Low-risk home-prepared foods
• Canadian Food Inspection Agency Food Labelling Tool (CFIA)