Chamber lobbies province for change to farmers market rules
The Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce is calling on the province to allow non-food items to be sold at farmers markets.
The business group wrote to Dr. Bonnie Henry, Premier John Horgan, Health Minister Adrian Dix and Vernon-Monashee MLA Harwinder Sandhu, saying without the change, the markets are at risk of shutting down.
“Artisans and local producers rely on community farmers markets to offer goods, often without the ability to sell their products elsewhere. The market itself depends on the extra revenue from non-food vendors to operate. Without this, farmers markets and local food vendors, which are essential services, are at risk of shutting down as well,” Krystin Kempton, Greater Vernon Chamber president, said.
Non-food vendors have not been allowed at farmers markets since Dec. 3, 2020, but were a fundamental part of market operations throughout the summer and fall of 2020.