April 2007 - FMO Board members and FMO friends across the province provided the leadership in organizing “Food Safety Matters at Farmers’ Markets” workshops. Most sessions featured an FMO-sponsored dinner; an assortment of attendance draws and everyone received a “Food Safety Matters at Farmers’ Markets” T-shirt. Over 500 farmers’ market leaders, managers and vendors participated.
February 21 & 22, 2007 - 17th Annual FMO Networking Symposium & AGM held in concert with the Ontario Fruit & Vegetable Convention and Trade Show. The Convention theme was “Profit Through Knowledge”. There were 1,200 convention participants including at least 125 farmers’ market leaders, managers and vendors. FMO’s two-day program was action-packed but the two sessions which attracted the most attention were our FISH! Philosophy session with Cali Beals from Iowa and the roll-out of our special 2007 “Food Safety Matters at Farmers’ Markets” program.
FMO received word that the Greenbelt Foundation will provide a $1 million grant to be spent over 3 years on special programming with our member farmers’ markets in the Greenbelt.
FMO submitted a $1,724.500 funding application to The Greenbelt Foundation. “Project GREEN” would provide a variety of funds to our 46 member Farmers’ Markets in the Greenbelt area...including advertising and promotion; signage; four “Town & Country”-produced videos; tarps/canopies; tables and benches; various farmers’ market equipment; 4 new/rejuvenated “green Farmers’ Markets” in the City of Toronto; various workshops and more! Received approval in June 2006 for 3 years.