2024 Workshops & Networking Events
Networking Events
Friday Night Reception presented by Lonsdale Quay Market
Connect with your fellow conference attendees and farmers’ market enthusiasts at our Friday Night Reception, presented by Lonsdale Quay Market. Appetizers are included with your All-Inclusive Conference Pass or Friday Welcome Reception Pass – register here.
Date: Friday March 1, 2024
Time: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm (PST)
Where: Lonsdale Quay Market, North Vancouver, BC
Saturday Banquet & Farmers’ Market Awards
Join us for a sumptuous feast of food and drink, our annual Farmers’ Market Awards, and silent auction. This event is included with your All-Inclusive Conference Pass or you can select to attend a la carte with the Saturday Night Banquet & Awards Pass – register here.
Date: Saturday March 2, 2024
Time: 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm (PST)
Where: The Wallace, North Vancouver, BC
Friday Trainings
Both trainings will take place at Pinnacle Hotel at the Pier, North Vancouver, BC.
Date: Friday, March 1, 2024
Time: 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Presented by: Indigenous Community for Leadership & Development
Ready to build upon your existing cultural awareness skills? Develop strategies for engagement with Indigenous groups whose traditional territory your market is located on?
Join Indigenous Community for Leadership & Development (ICLD) for an Indigenous Engagement Principles workshop and take a tangible step towards reconciliation: establishing and maintaining a mutually respectful relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in Canada.
After this workshop, you will leave with a better understanding of:
- A brief history of BC since colonization
- Building relationships with local Indigenous communities
- Good practices for engaging with local Indigenous communities
- Principles of engagement
- How to find out who to contact in the communities
Date: Friday, March 1, 2024
Time: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Presented by: Peter Lee, Food Safety Consultant
As a farmers’ market organizer you are the primary contact for vendors and the public when it comes to food safety issues. While it is not a requirement for all farmers’ market organizers to have FOODSAFE certification, it’s definitely recommended! Join us for this session and receive your FOODSAFE Level 1 certification.
Taught with a farmers’ market audience in mind, this course is about empowering you with the knowledge to make the right decisions when it comes to food safety. Topics covered include important food safety and worker safety information such as foodborne illness, receiving and storing food, preparing food, serving food, cleaning and sanitizing.
The course includes a FOODSAFE Student Workbook and one-hour exam.
Saturday Opening Plenary
Our 2024 BC Farmers’ Market Conference will kick off with an exciting opening plenary session!
Date: Saturday March 2, 2024
Time: 9:00 am – 10:00 am
Presented by: Christie Fleck (Alberta Farmers’ Market Association), Jean-Nick Trudel (Association des marchés publics du Québec), Justin Cantafio (Farmers’ Markets of Nova Scotia), Kristie Beynon (Direct Farm Manitoba), Heather O’Hara (BC Association of Farmers’ Markets)
Saturday Keynote & Roundtable Sessions
Get ready to be inspired and take action with Justin Cantafio, Executive Director of Farmers’ Markets of Nova Scotia and President of Canadian Farmers’ Markets, as he shares insights gained from his 2023 Nuffield Canada Scholarship.
Date: Saturday, March 2, 2024
Time: 1:30 pm – 2:45 pm
Presented by: Justin Cantafio (Executive Director, Farmers’ Markets of Nova Scotia)
Get ready to be inspired and take action with Justin Cantafio, Executive Director of Farmers’ Markets of Nova Scotia and President of Canadian Farmers’ Markets, as he shares insights gained from his 2023 Nuffield Canada Scholarship.
Justin will share his learnings as he traveled around the globe exploring the vital role that farmers’ markets play in regional food security, food sovereignty, and sustainability within local food systems. Amidst the challenges of rising inflation, cultural shifts, and declining public trust, Justin examines how these lessons can be applied to North American farmers’ markets.
This session will break out into groups where attendees can discuss and further delve into how your local farmers’ markets can emerge as a vibrant hotspot for a buy local food culture in your own community.
Saturday Workshops
We have an amazing lineup of engaging and informative workshops, with more on the way. Select a workshop below to learn more about what’s in store.
All workshops take place at the Pinnacle at the Pier Hotel in North Vancouver, BC.
*Schedule subject to change.
Date: Saturday March 2, 2024
Time: 4:15 pm – 5:15 pm
Presented by: Your Regional FMNCP Coordinators
Date: Saturday March 2, 2024
Time: 10:15 am – 11:15 am
Presented by: Greg McLaren, Farm Food Drink
As the world evolves and embraces the importance of inclusivity, so too must crucially important organizations. This interactive session will explore the meaning of inclusive marketing, the different channels it applies to, best practices by channel, general dos & don’ts, and the positive community impact that comes with being genuinely considerate to all those in our community.
This session will cover:
- Accessibility: language, visual challenges, audio challenges, and barriers to understanding.
- Dated terminology that has potentially offensive context
- How to do it in a meaningful, impactful and authentic way, not as a token gesture
- Different promotional channels & holistic approach to considering what you are writing
- Best practices for each channel
- Inclusive marketing is better marketing
- Summary of why it matters
Participants will take away ideas for, and considerations to be made in, the design of more inclusive marketing campaigns, plus a checklist of considerations for future marketing materials.
Date: Saturday March 2, 2024
Time: 4:15 pm – 5:15 pm
Presented by: Lily Nichol, BC Association of Farmers’ Markets
Date: Saturday March 2, 2024
Time: 10:15 am – 11:15 am
Presented by: Chris Bodnar, Close to Home Organic Farm
Join local farmer and food business consultant Chris Bodnar for a session designed to provide you with the ultimate guide to prepare farmers’ market managers for those important farm visits. Ensure you are fully prepped for a farm visit, using knowledge gathered by Chris from his experience as a certified organic farmer and valuable research he has obtained to put together this learning resource.
During this workshop session Chris will introduce you to BC Association of Farmers’ Markets’ Farm Visit Guide and walk you through best practices for ensuring full transparency at the market!
Funding for this event was provided by the Knowledge and Technology Transfer program by the governments of Canada and British Columbia through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative.
Date: Saturday March 2, 2024
Time: 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Presented by: Alex Lau, FCC
In this session, farmers’ market organizers will gain invaluable insights into identifying vendors primed for growth and providing them with the necessary resources for expansion. From assessing market trends to understanding vendor needs, this workshop equips market managers with the tools and knowledge to foster a thriving ecosystem for vendor success. Don’t miss this opportunity to empower your vendors and elevate your market to new heights of economic growth!
Date: Saturday March 2, 2024
Time: 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Presented by: Sonam Ram (The Social Agency)
What should you include in a press release? How can you get your key messaging across in a media interview? What to avoid saying to a journalist? Join this one-hour workshop and learn the ropes of media relations from writing a press release to pitching a news story to conducting a live media interview. Led by BCAFM’s PR team, The Social Agency.
Date: Saturday March 2, 2024
Time: 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Presented by: Hollie Galloway and Ryan Malcolm, The Number Creative
The future of tourism in Canada is regenerative. Acknowledged as a pivotal strategy by tourism marketing organizations nationwide in 2024, regenerative tourism embraces a holistic approach, aiming to boost visitation while positively contributing to a destination’s local businesses, cultural organizations, and ecological integrity.
Join the team from the Number to learn more about how your market can become a cornerstone for positive visitation in your community.
Date: Saturday March 2, 2024
Time: 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Presented by: Chris Quinlan, CEO & Co-Founder of MarketWurks
Chris Quinlan, MarketWurks co-founder and CEO, will be running a one hour workshop session on how MarketWurks can help you streamline your market operations.
MarketWurks believe farmers’ markets help build stronger, healthier communities. Because of this, MartketWurks has remained true to their roots in market management over the last 5 years.
They continue to progress the MarketWurks software based on what you, our market managers, ask for and the feedback you give us each season, continually delivering the tools that empower you to process applications, run your market, keep vendor data secure and gain all the valuable insights that a data-driven platform can provide.
Date: Saturday March 2, 2024
Time: 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Presented by: Dr. David Connell, Chloe Brogan and Kate Poirier (2023 BC Farmers’ Market Economic Impact Study Team)
Join us as the Economic Impact Study team reviews the exciting results of the 2023 BC Farmers’ Market Economic Impact Study. They’ll dig into highlights and trends and share tools and resources so you can easily share the results with stakeholders!
As an extra bonus, learn how to use BCAFM’s Data Collection Toolkit to easily gather, manage, and use information to support your farmers’ market’s priorities in the future. Explore the various methods, potential challenges, and creative solutions involved in collecting your own market data, such as customer spending, attendance, and vendor sales.
You will leave with tangible tools, including data analysis templates, and a reignited passion to use research in advocating for your market’s goals!
Date: Saturday March 2, 2024
Time: 10:15 am – 11:15 am
Presented by: Elijah van der Giessen (TechSoup Connect Western Canada), Trish Riswick (Hootsuite) and Kate Poirier (Cedar Farmers’ Market Agricultural Society)
Join experts Elijah van der Giessen, Trish Riswick and Kate Poirier for a fascinating and timely panel discussion exploring:
- How TechSoup can save you money with free and discounted solutions from partners ranging from Adobe to Zoom
- How Hootsuite can simplify your social media content calendar management
- The world of AI and its practical applications in the context of farmers markets. Gain valuable insights into how AI can streamline your workflow, boost productivity, and drive success while also addressing the associated risks and challenges
Date: Saturday March 2, 2024
Time: 4:15 pm – 5:15 pm
Presented by: James Yang, Duuo by Co-Operators
BCAFM has partnered with Duuo by Co-operators to provide vendors with easy access to an online vendor insurance solution. James Yang, Partner Success Specialist at Duuo by Co-operators, will be giving our market managers a presentation on Vendor Insurance 101. In this presentation, James will provide an overview on Duuo Vendor Insurance, how you can use this partnership to your advantage, and ultimately how vendor insurance is a risk management tool for markets in B.C. and across Canada.
Sunday Action Labs
Join us for two-hour interactive and in-depth sessions that will lead you in developing a strategy to implement at your own farmers’ market. Space is limited—register now!
Select an Action Lab below to learn more.
Date: Sunday March 3, 2024
Time: 10:45 am – 12:45 pm
Presented by: Heather O’Hara, Executive Director, BCAFM & Melissa Maltais, Membership & Programs Manager, BCAFM
Bring your laptop or a pencil and paper and we will spend the next 2 hours working to create a Bad A** budget for your farmers’ market. Don’t have a budget? Bring your previous year’s financials. Heather and Melissa (self-professed budget geeks) will walk you through our template and take you step by step through the process of creating a budget that will help your organization thrive. Got questions? Bring them! We will spend the next 2 hours dedicated to your financial budget success.
Date: Sunday March 3, 2024
Time: 10:45 am – 12:45 pm
Presented by: Lily Nichol, BC Association of Farmers’ Markets
Emergencies can strike at any time, and being prepared is crucial for the safety of vendors, customers, and market staff. This interactive 2 hour action lab is designed to empower farmers’ market organizers with the knowledge and tools necessary to create a comprehensive emergency response safety plan. Whether you’re dealing with wildfires, floods, or other emergencies, this workshop will help you establish clear guidelines, communication protocols, and cancellation policies to ensure the safety and well-being of everyone involved.
Date: Sunday March 3, 2024
Time: 10:45 am – 12:45 pm
Presented by: Alison Brewin, Alison Brewin Consulting
This hands-on session will help you learn and hone the skills involved in recruiting great board members—and keeping them when you have! At the centre of the exploration will be principles of justice, equity and inclusion—the very foundation of an engaging board. As a bonus, Alison will show you how to:
- Engage board members AND keep them from micro-managing operations
- Keep them happy and impactful in their governance role
- Support the staff team effectively
- Create a governance and leadership culture that is collaborative and fun to be a part of
After this workshop you will need to learn to say, “Thanks, but we aren’t looking for board members right now.”