Peterborough Regional Farmers Network (PRFN) Board says it is time to hit the reset button on the Famers’ Market.

Peterborough, ON

January 2, 2018

The Peterborough Regional Farmers Network(PRFN) board is ready to lead the process to hit the reset button on the Peterborough Farmers’ Market in partnership with the City.

Neil Hannam, board president of PRFN, states “the current Farmers’ Market board has lost the moral authority to govern the market. They are not following their own rules, and they have created the framework to unjustifiably kick out seven local vendors. In response, the community has made it clear they don’t support the current board.”

The recent events at the market demonstrate that the current board structure creates conflicts between vendors. Furthermore, the current board has not embraced transparent governance or food source labelling. These problems were exposed repeatedly by local and national press this past year. The Farmers’ Market ended the year featured on the CBC national media under the headline: “Turmoil, eviction threats featured in CBC investigation of home grown lies.”

PRFN is confident that by working with the City of Peterborough, the outright owner and landlord of the Morrow Park, we can hit the reset button on how the market is governed.

Hannam adds “the City of Peterborough has hit the reset button with other not-for-profit enterprises and vastly improved services.”For example, the City of Peterborough in the past insisted that they would only fund one community food program for the homeless and marginalized population of the city. They encouraged local groups to work together. The result was the One Roof food program,an innovative collaboration that has become acentralized base to provide food and services.

Melissa Johnston, board member with PRFN, says “the City of Peterborough can play the same leadership role with the Farmers’ Market.”Johnston adds that “PRFN has already been meeting with City-supported agencies, including Peterborough and The Kawartha Economic Development (PKED), to work on our future business plans, operating structure,and goals.”

Hannam explains that the vision for the Farmers’ Market reset would include welcoming other innovators and leaders from the City and County of Peterborough.“We need local business leaders to join with us to mentor the operations of the Farmers’ Market in a transparent manner and provide proper food source labelling. This community resource should become the anchor of regional agricultural innovation, job creation, and tourism.PRFN wants to work with the whole community including the Innovation Cluster, Trent University, and Fleming College. The new board needs to drive change not fight amongst themselves.”

PRFN would solve the governance issues at the market by recruiting a board that would consist of arms-length and independent directors. Hannam states “we need a balance of people who are leaders in the community as well as local farmers. The local farming voice should always be the majority on the PFRN board, but not all the farmers should be market vendors.”

PRFN has already successfully launched a transparent and verified food source labelling program at the current market, and PRFN would require participation of every vendor who wishes to sell at the market. Johnston states “I think the market will look very similar to what it does now except that the community will see who is growing the food and who is reselling, and with all vendors’ participating in the labelling program,the consumer will have the ability to shape the future of our market through their wallet.”

Over the last six months PRFN has been grateful for the support from Farmers’ Market Ontario regarding their “My Pick” certification program and The Greenbelt Farmers’ Market Networkfor many resources and support. Food source labelling is gaining momentum, and other markets in Ontario have successfully launched a food source labelling program including Ottawa’s ByWard Market.

PRFN is formally calling on the Mayor and City Council to show the same leadership they have in the past and hit the reset button on the Farmers’ Market. PRFN asks the community to contact the Mayor and City Council and call for a Request for Proposals to allow for other groups, like PRFN, to operate and improve the Saturday Farmers’ Market.

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For more information:

Neil Hannam 705-761-0087 or

Melissa Johnston 705-868-9713 or