Editorial by Executive Director Danielle Mondor.
In October 2025, a cohort of 10 Canadian farmers’ market representatives travelled to Rome, Italy to join the World Farmers’ Market Coalition’s 4th General Assembly on the cusp of the 2025 United Nation Food and Agriculture Organizations; (F.A.O.) World Food Forum.
As a newly formed organization (2021), the World Farmers Market Coalition (W.F.M.C.) is a growing global network of farmers’ market associations that collaborate to support and enhance regional food systems and strengthen local marketplaces worldwide, in particular advocating to achieve the U.N.’s zero hunger goal by 2030. Canada is a founding member.
Over 4 days in Rome, I was lucky enough to represent Manitoba’s 30+ farmers’ markets on behalf of Direct Farm Manitoba, our provincial farmers’ market association, participating in workshops and presentations where food and farming were at the centre of the conversation. While attendees came from all over the world with remarkable differences in language and culture (Denmark, Peru, China, Australia, Cote d’Ivoire, Jamaica to name a few) we were united in our shared beliefs that farmers’ markets are critical places where relationships are built between people centered in food and agriculture.
Products from Canada (permitted into Italy from travellers) including regeneratively-raised woollen mittens from Ferme Fiola Farm in Ste. Genevieve Manitoba
I heard stories of women’s economic empowerment from trailblazers in Lebanon, Egypt, Mexico and the U.S. where women vending in farmers’ markets were able to buy their first home or support their families, and stories of women who are not only food producers, but leaders of change in the fight against poverty, hunger, and climate change.
When at least 50 armed conflicts actively rage around the world and food is withheld, destroyed or employed as a bargaining tool, we listened to young farmers demand that “Food Should Never Be Used As A Weapon”.
We heard from farmers across North America speak of the loss of farmland in our regions and seed varieties to conventional development, while grocery stores and food chains become whittled to a handful of corporate owners that leave food system diversity and resiliency at risk. Did you know: Canada has the most concentrated grocery sector ownership in the world, where 5 companies control over 80% of the grocery sector? We should be concerned.
And overall, together we advocated and cheered the importance of clear policies and definitions to ensure fair income, safe work and dignity for farmers who protect (and grow) vibrant, public spaces and thriving food agri-cultures at farmers’ markets around the world.
For me, a highlight was sharing the successes that Manitoba has made in supporting direct marketing and farmers’ markets in the last 10 or more years. Did you know, Direct Farm Manitoba hosts a provincial food map directory online so customers can find farmers’ markets, bulk food delivery options and sustainable farmers revitalizing rural Manitoba, one acre at a time?
This summer, Direct Farm Manitoba presented the 1st Annual Farmers’ Market week at the end of July and also highlighted other incredible farmers’ markets alongside St. Norbert like Lac Du Bonnet, East St. Paul, South Osborne, Winkler, Carman and Steinbach. Direct Farm Manitoba supported provincial changes to allow safe, ungraded eggs to be sold at farmers’ markets this year. The organization also created the MB Food Currency Program, designed to provide food coupons to vulnerable community members at farmers’ markets so that everyone can eat and share healthy, local food. This program has the potential to launch nationally – in Rome, we met with the Agricultural Counsellor and Permanent Mission of Canada to the FAO of the UN representative to seek next-step advice to mitigate food insecurity in our country, because we know that the success of this program creates relationships in regional food systems for long lasting, positive change.
Using Italy’s model of a strong farmers’ union (Colderetti, with 40,000+ farm members) and cooperatively-owned farmers’ markets, Canada has a lot to learn. Italy’s climate can support the production of everything from citrus, olives, melons, grains, persimmons, dairy & meat, pomegranates, pears, fennel, mushrooms and so much more, their diverse Campagna Amica farmers’ markets vendors are entirely made up of farmers. Any processed food for sale is represented by the farmer who grows the raw ingredient: for example, if a vendor is selling focaccia or breads, they grow the wheat. If a vendor is selling jam or preserves, they grow the fruit. If a vendor is selling cheese, they have raised the sheep or the cows. Food processors buying foods to sell from outside the region is not permitted, and therefore these farmers’ markets have become regional engines that drive diverse and sustainable food systems, enhance artisanal production and generate economic opportunities in agricultural tourism. …Wine tasting, anyone?
In Manitoba, we too have a lot of diversity to highlight, and you can see this when you visit St. Norbert Farmers’ Market every Saturday. All year-round, farmers arrive bringing fresh and stored crops from their fields, meats raised with care, organic dairy and cheeses, wild rice and grain (flour) varieties, fruits like apples, apricots and berries, locally grown wines, ciders and meads, and special-seasonal foods we wait all year for (rhubarb, asparagus, tomatoes, corn… I’m looking at you!)
But beyond buying wholesome foods and feeling good when we buy from farmers, a farmers’ market is true food sovereignty in action, where the culture of our food is ingrained in everyday life. When we make individual choices, we contribute to systemic change. When we spend dollars locally, we know our impact blooms. In Manitoba, for every $1 spent at a local business, 66 cents remains in the province (and only 8 cents stays when you buy online).
So every time we buy our groceries, come to a farmers’ market. It is the beginning of how we choose to shape our community. I’ll see you here, on Saturday!
