Farmers’ market supporters exploded with wrath in February after Loblaw executive chair Galen Weston suggested someone is going to die from buying bad food at a farmers’ market.
“There have been 40 million impressions from people supporting farmers’ markets,” Farmers’ Markets Canada president Robert Chorney told MPs on the House of Commons agriculture committee last week. “That’s Facebook, Twitter, blogs, all the media and 40 million impressions.”
It was part of Chorney’s pitch that local farmers’ markets are “like motherhood and apple pie” and are a multibillion-dollar business in the midst of a resurrection.
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He also argued that the federal government should pledge money to help the national organization remain active and able to promote the brand.
Agriculture Canada gave the newly formed association $350,000 in 2008-09 to help it organize and conduct studies on the impact of the sector.
That grant has now ended and there was no mention of renewal in recent Agriculture Canada spending estimates.
“I think we’re going to renew our approach to (agriculture minister Gerry) Ritz and his staff and see, perhaps with some help, what we can do to access some funds to continue our work,” said Chorney.
He said the organization is “dormant” and being kept alive by volunteers.
He estimated direct sales from farmers’ markets at more than $1 billion annually with an economic impact of more than $3 billion.
There are more than 500 markets in Canada, mainly in Ontario and British Columbia.
“The economic impact of these farmers’ markets across Canada is over $3 billion, very much a sleeping giant.”
Weston made his comment at a February food conference organized by the Conference Board of Canada.
“Farmers markets are great … but someday they’re going to kill someone,” he said in answer to a question from the Toronto audience.
“I’m just saying that to be dramatic, though,” he quickly added.
