Rules and Regulations

2025

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1. The market season begins on the last Saturday in April each year and ends on the Saturday of the Thanksgiving weekend (April 26th to October 11th).

2. The market hours are Saturday from 8:30 AM until 12:30 PM.

3. The aim of the market is to sell homemade or homegrown products created by the vendor. ‘Homemade’ means products must have no less than 50 percent home-made content. No products, produce or crafts are to be bought then resold by the vendor. Used goods may only be sold if they have been thoroughly modified and have become part of a new product.

4. The fee for one 10’x10’ stall is $20 for a single market day or $300 for the season and must be paid at, or prior to the first market attended by the vendor. The fee for a second (and third) stall is $15 per market day or $225 for the season. By the fourth market of the season the vendor must choose to either become a seasonal vendor (and pay the balance owing for the summer) or remain as a day vendor and pay the daily rate until the season ends. Payment for markets by day vendors is due before the market day or at the beginning of each market day. Payments are made preferably by e-transfer but can also be made with cheque or cash.

5. Seasonal vendors are expected to inform the Market Manager if they are unable to attend before Thursday 6 PM. Drop-in vendors must let the Market Manager know if they would like to attend the market before Thursday 6 PM.

6. All vendors must be in their stall by 7:45 AM or their space may be given to another vendor for that day. No vendor will be admitted to the Market after 8:15 AM unless special permission has been granted by the Market Manager. Earlier arrival is strongly recommended to facilitate easy setting up of the Market. Vendors are not to set up until the ropes are in position.

7. If vendors are occasionally unable to attend the market themselves, they may have a member of their family or staff work at the stall. The market manager must be informed of this prior to that market day.

8. On occasion, vendors may be allowed to share booth space. This will be allowed through a ruling of the market manager on a case-by-case basis and is not a given. Both vendors will pay 75 percent of the total booth cost. (A total of 1.5 of the vendor fee rather than simply double the fee.)

9. No Vendor is to begin to dismantle their stall until after the close of the Market. Occasional exceptions may be made to vendors who have received approval from the Market Manager.
   Should vendors find themselves sold out prior to the end of the Market the use of a ‘sold out’ sign recommended.

10. Those who have a store front operation (exclusive of farm gate sales and home-based businesses) are NOT permitted to sell at the market. Persons operating a franchise business are not permitted to sell at the Armstrong Farmers’ Market. A franchise operator is defined as a person acting as an agent/vendor for another company’s product or brand.

11. Vendors selling at the Armstrong market must reside in the Okanagan/Shuswap. At the discretion of the market Board, vendors from outside those areas may be allowed provided they do not compete with a vendor from within those areas.

12. The name of the vendor, their address and phone number must be clearly displayed in the vendors’ booth.

13. Live animals (including fowl) may be sold outdoors if restrained and kept 35 meters (100 ft) away from food products.

14. All baking must be prepackaged or well covered and handled with tongs or gloves.

15. For all vendors selling low-risk (see footnote1) a valid FoodSafe Level 1 certificate is required by the Armstrong Farmers’ Market. A copy of this certificate must be provided to the market manager at the time of application and be displayed at the vendor’s booth.

16. Vendors selling high risk food (see footnote 1) and vendor concessions must have a Letter of Approval and Confirmation from the Interior Health Officer. This letter must be displayed at the concession and a copy must be filed with the Market Manager, along with a copy of the vendors’ valid FoodSafe Level 1 or MarketSafe certificate.

17. Vendor food concessions are allowed provided that the main item on the menu is made by the vendor selling the product. All items to be sold by a vendor concession must be listed on the application form.
    
    Footnote[1] See: Guidelines - Sale of Foods at Temporary Food Markets , page 8 and 9, for examples of low and high risk foods.
     

18. Vendors selling by weight must employ the use of scales certified in accordance with provisions of the ‘Weights and Measures Act’ Canada.

19. Alcohol vendors must have valid Market Authorization from the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch (LCRB).

20. For all vendors selling cosmetics, a Cosmetic Notification Form is required by Health Canada and the Armstrong Farmers’ Market (Cosmetic includes any substance or mixture of substances, manufactured, sold or represented for use in cleansing, improving or altering the complexion, skin, hair or teeth and includes deodorants and perfumes). A copy of this notification must be provided to the market manager at the time of application. There is no fee associated with the cosmetic notification process.

21. The Armstrong Farmers’ Market is not responsible for collecting or remitting taxes.

22. Each vendor/producer sells at his/her own risk regarding marketing boards. All products for
    sale need to meet the laws, regulations and rules as specified by Federal, Provincial and
    Municipal bodies, local health authorities, the Armstrong Farmers’ Market and the certifying
    Body (if any) the vendor belongs to. It is the responsibility of the vendor to understand and
    comply with said regulations. It is also up to the vendor to know and comply with provincial and federal tax requirements and to have all documentation available to the Armstrong Farmers’ Market Board upon request.

23. The Armstrong Farmers’ Market reserves the right to limit the sale of any commodity, the
    distribution of literature, political or religious material or any article deemed not in the best
    interests of the market. The decision of the Market Board of Directors is final.

24. Vendors may be subject to a home visit by AFM Board Members to verify that all products being sold are produced or made by the vendor.

25. The market day manager is hired to collect fees and enforce rules and regulations of the
    market. Should a vendor disagree with the manager they are asked to respect the atmosphere of the market and quietly approach the Market Manager or an AFM Board Member with their complaint.

26. Complaints must be presented in writing. A challenge of a vendors’ inventory must be submitted to the Board of Directors.

27. Only vendors who are certified as organic growers and who can produce the certification
    can advertise their products as organic.

28. Weights must be used on tents at all times. Minimum weight required is 9 Kg (20 Lbs) for
    EACH leg of the tent. Vendors are responsible for damage caused by their booth or items in it.
    (Canopies may also be anchored to a vehicle. This qualifies as weights for two corners if
    secured to the vehicle at two corners.) If you arrive without weights, we will supply this one time. If it happens again, you will be required to go home and get your weights.

29. Generators must be no louder than 65 decibels.

30. All signage (for example, sandwich boards) must be approved by the market manager and
    may not encroach into the main area of the market.

31. Consumption of alcohol (other than from licensed vendors), smoking or vaping is not permitted within 35 meters (100 feet) of any vendor stall.

32. The market is not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged articles.

33. Vendors are responsible for leaving their area clean.

34. Non-profit groups are invited to attend the market three days during the season to advertise
    their work, display posters and brochures as well fundraise. They may, however, only sell
    merchandise on one of these occasions. Coordination of these visits is the responsibility of the Market Manager.

35. Vendors are reminded that their neighbours have paid for their own space and should not
    trespass uninvited into another vendor's booth.

36. Hawking is not allowed at the Armstrong Farmers Market. This practice involves vendors shouting at visitors to draw attention to their products.

37. The Armstrong Farmers’ Market is a place of business and a public forum. Polite and
    professional behavior as well as fair and honest business practices are expected.

38. The Armstrong Farmers' Market is insured through the BCAFM; however, this insurance does not cover individual vendors. Therefore, it is highly recommended that vendors obtain their own market insurance.
    
    These rules and regulations were updated and approved in November 2024.

 

Market Contact Information:
info@armstrongfarmersmarket.ca

Post Office Box 682

Armstrong, BC V0E 1B0

Market manager (Arnold Hoogenboom):

Please phone, text or email before 4:00pm Friday evening before a market if not sooner.
info@armstrongfarmersmarket.ca or phone or text (preferably) to 250-307-8336.

No calls Friday after 8:00pm or Saturday morning please.

 

Board of Directors:

Henk Denoudsten                                                         President

Steve Jackson               (LCreations)                              Vice-President

Cathy Moore                 (Eagle Rock Pottery)                  Secretary

Margreet Denoudsten   (Margreet’s Morsels)                 ​Director

Cathy Mitchell              (Herons Landing Farm)             Director

Musarat Begum            (KM Orchard)                            Director

Arnold Hoogenboom     (Pure)                                       Director

 

Glossary of Terms

Board of Directors: The group overseeing governance of the Market. This group is comprised
of a President, Treasurer and a maximum of seven (7) board members all of whom are
members of the Armstrong Farmers’ Market Society. Elected positions are for a two-year term.
The election takes place at the Annual General Meeting once a calendar year.

Market Manager: A person contracted by the Board of Directors to oversee the physical
operation of the market on the day of the market. The Market Manager has the authority to
make decisions for the wellbeing of the Market and the implementation of all rules and
regulations of the Armstrong Farmers’ Market.

Day Vendor: A person wishing to set up and sell at the Armstrong Farmers’ Market who
chooses to pay the daily rate as specified on the registration form. Day vendors will move
around at the market as needed to fill empty spots and should not expect to have the same
booth location from week to week.

Seasonal Vendor: A person wishing to set up a stall and sell at the Armstrong Farmers’ Market
who chooses to pay the seasonal rate as specified on the registration form. They may qualify to
become a Designated Stall Holder once they have met certain requirements (see Designate
Stall Holder). Until so designed their placement at the Market is at the discretion of the Market
Manager.

Designated Stall Holder: A person who has attended a minimum of 20 markets per year.
Those who have attended the market the longest have priority. Designated Vendors who fail to
advise the Market Manager if they are unable to attend the market three times in a season will
lose the right to their designated stall.

Family: Father, Mother, spouse, son, daughter, brother or sister of the person who
signed the registration form for that season of the Armstrong Farmers’ Market.

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