Market Day
Farmers markets are vibrant community hubs, but they face unique challenges when it comes to emergency preparedness.
From unpredictable weather events and climate-related disruptions to power outages, health crises, and even security concerns, markets require effective emergency planning and response tools to protect vendors, staff, and visitors, maintain food access, and support community resilience.
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A booklet by Seattle Neighborhood Farmers Markets covering forming a safety team, incident debriefs, and different protocols for everything from earthquakes to dog attacks, unauthorized cars in the market, and public nudity... This feels like something a market could take as is and use as their emergency plan.
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From the Michigan Farmers Market Association, a guidebook of protocols for different types for emergencies, and templates that can be used for incident report forms and creating a list of safety contacts.
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A 2-page handout from the The North Carolina Farmers Market Network on the elements of an emergency policy that a market should consider when writing a policy, with links to examples used at NC markets.
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Another guide on how to create emergency policy for your market, goes into more depth with questions to help you think through what sorts of contingencies and planning your market needs.
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Take this online course from VA's Farmers Market University—Emergency Planning for Farmers Markets (cost $50).
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This section of the Farmers Market Legal Toolkit delves into managing risk by creating clear rules and procedures. Scroll to the drop down menu and click on Market Day Safety Checklist for a guide on how to use a checklist, what to include, and examples other markets use. If you're feeling overwhelmed with where to start emergency planning, focusing on these potentials will keep the to-do list manageable.
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Sign up for local evacuation notices and safety information: ORalert.gov
Familiarize yourself with evacuation levels and what they mean.
Review what to do during an evacuation and pack if time allows.
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From the Minnesota Farmers Market Association: a Smoke & Air Quality Decision Support Guide to help market managers respond to wildfire smoke and poor air quality while prioritizing the health and safety of farmers, vendors, volunteers, staff, and shoppers.
Check current Oregon conditions at AirNow.gov or the Oregon Health Authority AQI
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A new and user-friendly webpage from the CDC where you can enter a ZIP code to get personalized heat forecast information for your location, including information on local air quality, alongside protective actions to take.
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For major disasters, FNS will issue Disaster-SNAP. If this happens, it would be listed here.
Webinar Recordings
OFMA's workshop for farmers market operators on how to plan, prepare, and respond to wildfires and heat extremes. Learn and grow together as two California farmers market leaders and wildfire veterans share their experience, lessons learned, and best practices when faced with tough decisions in emergency situations. Get in on the action with a wildfire scenario disaster exercise and feel connected with your peers because we're all in this together.
From the Idaho Farmers Market Association, whether it's extreme heat, wildfire smoke, or a global pandemic, unexpected events outside your control could happen at any time to jeopardize your market and your best laid plans. Are you prepared for emergencies and other disruptions to your Farmers Market?