Health & Food Safety at BC Farmers’ Markets
find all health & food safety resources on bCAFM’s Tools & Resources section here.
Guidelines for the Sale of Foods at Temporary Food Markets
These guidelines provide recommendations for the preparation and display of food intended for sale at temporary food markets, including farmers’ markets.
READ AND DOWNLOAD THE GUIDELINE
Prepared by: Food Protection, Environmental Health Services, BC Centre for Disease Control
In collaboration with: BC Ministry of Health and the Five Regional Health Authorities: Vancouver Coastal, Fraser, Interior, Northern and Vancouver Island
MarketSafe
- Find a Classroom based MarketSafe Course
- Take MarketSafe Online – New!
- Presentation: Food Safety at Farmers’ Markets: updates and new developments on training and market requirements (2017)
MarketSafe is a food safety training program for farmers, food processors and producers who make, bake or grow products to sell at local farmers’ markets, farm gates or other types of temporary food markets. MarketSafe was developed by the BC FOODSAFE Secretariat in partnership with the BC Association of Farmers’ Markets, and is supported by the Regional Health Authorities, the BC Centre for Disease Control, and the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Lands.
MarketSafe courses are 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.
This program was created to increase awareness and knowledge of food safety and safe food handling procedures for farmers’ market vendors, market managers, farm gate vendors, home kitchen small scale food processors, and others who may make, bake or produce food products for public consumption outside of regulated food service establishments. As well as trying to protect the general public, this education program will also help individuals who want to sell their wares become trusted and successful vendors.
If there are no courses currently available in your area, please contact the BC FOODSAFE Secretariat for more information or find a course online.
FOODSAFE Program
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.
FOODSAFE Level 1 Recertification:
- All FOODSAFE Level 1 certificates issues before July 29, 2013 expired on July 29, 2018.
- All FOODSAFE Level 1 certificates issued since July 30, 2013 are valid for 5 years and the expiry date is indicated on your certificate.
- FOODSAFE Level 2 and MarketSafe certificates have no expiration date at present.
For more information on recertifying, please click here.
BC Good Agricultural Practices Guide
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.
Good Agriculture Practices Guide can help you to:
- Assess the risks of your daily farming practices
- Minimize those risks
- Customize a program for your individual farm
- Streamline record keeping and traceability requirements
Other Resources
- AgSafe BC
- Evaluating Risk in Foods at Farmers’ Markets (Food Safety Magazine)
- Food Labelling for Industry (Canadian Food Inspection Agency)
- Understanding the Principles of Traceability (Ross Food Consulting)
- Canning Foods – Your Guide to Successful Canning (First Nations Health Authority)
- Feedback and Insights on Farmer’s Markets – from the Health Officers (Interior Health; 2017). Presented at the 2017 BCAFM Conference
- ProcessSafe (BC Ministry of Health; 2017). Presented at the 2017 BCAFM Conference
- ProcessSafe: What’s New? (BC Ministry of Health; 2019). Presented at the 2019 BCAFM Conference
- Food Safety and Farmers’ Markets (BC Centre for Disease Control; BC Ministry of Health; Interior Health Authority; 2019). Presented at the 2019 BCAFM Conference