Local Flavours, Familiar Faces!
BC Association of Farmers' Markets
Farmers' markets operate in every type of community across British Columbia from cities and suburbs to rural communities. Markets vary in size and sophistication, from large sheltered public markets to a few farmers with their trucks parked next to each other in a parking lot or farm field. Now that's fresh!
Programs :: Workshops and Training Opportunities
Workshops and Training Opportunities
- MarketSafe Training
- Food Safety Training and Education Resources in BC
- Market Manager Training
- Board Governance Training
- Harmonizing the Employer-Employee Relationship
All markets are encouraged to host these workshops. The BCAFM will help you organize and market a workshop or you can organize and market it on your own. If you choose to organize it on your own, please see the contact information under each workshop heading.
MarketSafe Training
Upcoming Workshop Dates:
Salmon Arm — Feb 11, 2012
Phone: 250-804-8888
Fee: $89
Time: 9:00am - 4:00pm
Details
Courtenay — Mar 2, 2012 — BCAFM Conference satellite event!
Phone: 604-734-9797
Fee: $70–75
Time: 9:30am - 4:30pm
Details
Click here to Register
Vernon — Mar 31, 2012
Phone: 250-503-2667
Fee: $0
Time: 8:30am - 5:30pm
Details
Salmon Arm — Apr 26, 2012
Phone: 250-804-8888
Fee: $89
Time: 9:00am - 4:00pm
Details
Food Safety Training and Education Resources in BC
Which food safety training program is right for you? Check out the following program descriptions to determine which workshop would enable to you gain the knowledge you need to take the next step in your market or business.
1. Good Agricultural Practices Guide (www.gov.bc.ca/agri/)
BC Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Guide is intended to assist producers to implement food safety practices at the farm. It offers a whole-farm approach covering all aspects of crop and livestock production.
The BC Good Agricultural Practices Guide can help you to assess the risks of your daily farming practices through a flow chart questionnaire. At the end of each flow chart it directs you to the practice that would help minimize those risks. These practices help you understand WHY you need to minimize the risk; WHO needs to apply the practice; HOW to implement each particular GAP; WHAT items to monitor and record as required for audits; and Which Legislation/Regulations you meet by implementing these practices.
The benefits from implementing Good Agricultural Practices on the farm assures customers of the safety of the food they purchase; Prepares for third-party audits requested by retail buyers; Stream-line record-keeping with Monitoring Form Templates; and available in different languages.
2. FOODSAFE Program (www.foodsafe.ca)
The FOODSAFE Program is a comprehensive food safety training program designed for the food service industry. It is an initiative of the Province of British Columbia and is developed and managed by the BC FOODSAFE Secretariat in partnership with the BC Centre for Disease Control, the BC Regional Health Authorities, the BC Restaurant and Food Services Association and WorkSafe BC. FOODSAFE courses are available face-to-face, online, and by correspondence, and are recognized throughout BC and across Canada as meeting the requirements for food safety training for food service industry workers.
3. MarketSafe Program (www.foodsafe.ca/marketsafe)
The MarketSafe Program is a food safety training program for farmers, food processors and producers who make, bake or grow products to sell at farmers' markets or other types of temporary markets. MarketSafe was developed by BC FOODSAFE in partnership with the BC Association of Farmers' Markets.
4. Food Safety Systems Implementation (Processor) Program (www.ssfpa.net/foodsafety)
The Food Safety Systems Implementation (Processor) Program provides assistance to farmers and other food processors entering the wholesale marketplace, to develop and implement food safety plans like GMP and/or HACCP. The program delivers educational workshops, one-on-one consultations, and offers funding to eligible processors to help cover some of the costs of implementing food safety plans. The FSSI (Processor) Program is offered as part of Growing Forward, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative. The program is managed in British Columbia by the Small Scale Food Processor Association.
Would you like to have the MarketSafe course offered in your region?
Contact your local health authority and let them know. Visit www.foodsafe.ca/ha_food_safety for health authority contact information.
Description:
MarketSafe is a food safety training program for farmers and producers who make, bake or grow products to sell at local farmers' markets, farm gates or other types of temporary food markets.
This is an interactive classroom based course facilitated by instructors who have been certified by the Regional Health Authorities. Participants who successfully complete the MarketSafe course will receive a recognized MarketSafe Certificate of Completion from the Health Authority in their area. Participants will also take home the MarketSafe Student Workbook.
MarketSafe was developed by the BC FOODSAFE Secretariat in partnership with the BC Association of Farmers' Markets, and funded in part by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's Advancing Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food (ACAAF) program.
The program is supported by the Regional Health Authorities, the BC Centre for Disease Control and the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands.
Market Manager Training
Upcoming Workshop Dates:
Courtenay — March 4th, 2012
Phone: 604-734-9797
Fee: $70–$75
Time: 9:30am – 4:00pm
Details
Click here to Register
Description:
Market Managers and Boards of Directors from small, medium or large Farmers' Markets will find relevant information in this training session. Whether new or experienced, all members of your market management team are encouraged to take this opportunity to network and share your experiences and the challenges of managing a market or a non-profit society.
Research has found that one of the main reasons Farmers Markets fail to thrive is due to lack of skills and experience of Market Managers and Boards of Directors. With an eye on building a strong Farmers Market network across the province, the BCAFM encourages you to take part in this unique opportunity to build the skills necessary to increase the success of your Farmers' Market.
To organize a Market Manager Training, contact:
Dr Jenny Horn on Vancouver Island at 250.748.1107 or jennifer.horn@viu.ca
Order your manual for $15.00 from the BCAFM office at 604.734.9797.
Board Governance Training
Upcoming Workshop Dates:
none currently listed
Description:
The Boards that Lead Series is founded on the following principle:
The group of diverse, passionate, competent people who have been entrusted with the well-being of an organization — its people and its contribution to the community — can be equipped to be an efficient, effective, and productive team for the long term.
During our time together you will learn what it means to lead the organization while your staff get things done. You will identify the strengths of your directors, your unique contribution and how to achieve the unified voice a Board needs. You will also receive practical tools to promote a calm, respectful, innovative and extremely active organizational environment.
To organize a Market Manager Training, contact:
- "Advanced" Board Governance Workshop: Karen Fenske in Vernon at 250.306.1256 or krfenske@shaw.ca
- An Introduction to Board Governance with an emphasis on Conflict Resolution: Sara-Jane Brocklehurst on Vancouver Island at 250.247.7390 or sjbjoat@shaw.ca
Order your manual for $15.00 from the BCAFM office at 604.734.9797.
Harmonizing the Employer-Employee Relationship — Human Resources Workshop
Upcoming Workshop Dates:
Courtenay — March 4th, 2012
Phone: 604-734-9797
Fee: $70–$75
Time: 9:30am – 4:00pm
Instructor: Lynne Corrigan
Description:
This workshop will help you to strengthen your market, farm, and organization form the inside out. Creating a harmonious work environment goes hand in hand with increasing your organizations productivity, whatever your output may be. This workshop will cover the basics of creating and maintaining a harmonious work environment for boards, managers, employees and volunteers. We will cover management essentials, giving effective feedback and performance evaluations, applying organizational values to employees, and increasing employee/volunteer retention.
Funding for this Workshop is provided by:
