Market Managers, is your market prepared for a climate emergency? 

Weather patterns are increasingly unpredictable, placing a responsibility on market managers to ensure the safety of both vendors and customers. This includes the challenging decision to cancel a market day when necessary.

Cancelling a market day is not an easy choice, as it impacts vendors' sales and affects customers' access to fresh, local food.

Check out this interview with Nicole Jacobs from the Dufferin Grove Farmers Market, the oldest year-round Thursday farmers’ market in operation since 2002, sharing their best practices and a handy check-list based on Nicole's suggestions.

MARKET MANAGERS CHECK-LIST

• Leverage market days to have one-on-one in-person conversations to understand vendor's comfort levels. 

• Use the information gathered to create and agree on specific thresholds (e.g., lower temperatures, particular weather conditions, etc).

• Establish a clear process for effective communication with your vendors.

• Whether it is a text or call, confirm that every vendor is aware of the decision made (make sure they have all received the message).

• Don't wait for an emergency to create a regular communication channel with your customers. Having and growing your weekly newsletter is a great way to stay connected with customers and vendors. Consider the following methods of communications:

  - Send an e-blast on the day of the emergency or cancellation.

  - Utilize social media channels (Facebook and Instagram) to share more broadly.

  - Remember to display a standard sign or chalkboard at the market location, as some customers may still come by the market and be disappointed, especially if they have no information about why it's not there.

Lastly, once you have developed this protocol, it is a good idea to include it in your website as it demonstrates that you take the health and safety of your vendors, customers, and work seriously and that you have a process in place to mitigate health and climate emergencies.

Additional resources from our broader network of markets across Turtle Island / North American are here:

• BC Farmers' Market Emergency Response Guide

• Risk Management Tools and Suggestions from the Farmers' Market Coalition

• Climate Resilience Resources from the Oregon Farmers' Markets Association