The Important Role of Food Safety

Canadians are increasingly concerned about the safety of the food they eat. In fact, they make an effort to buy locally grown and produced food because they trust it. That makes food safety at farmers’ markets everyone’s responsibility. Farmers, vendors, managers and market leaders must all be aware of food safety practices and policies and ensure they are being practiced in the preparation, transportation, storage and selling of food at their market.

While Farmers’ Markets Ontario does not regulate markets, we work closely with the Ontario Ministry of Health, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Association of Public Health Inspectors of Ontario to promote food safety awareness and education to market organizers/managers, vendors and their employees.