For Immediate Release: Canada Wide Campaign Calls for National Farmers' Market Nutrition Coupon Program Investment

October 23, 2023

Canadian Farmers’ Markets (CFM), Canada’s national farmers’ market sector association, has launched a nationwide campaign asking the Government of Canada to invest in a national nutrition coupon program fund that will strengthen and grow existing and proposed provincial and territorial farmers' markets nutrition coupon programs across Canada. Petitions have been collected at 68 farmers’ markets across the country so far in 52 unique federal ridings. These petitions have been sent to 52 Canadian Members of Parliament, which will then be tabled in the House of Commons of Canada..

“This national campaign has been launched to request the Government of Canada to invest in a fund that will support and encourage and expand provincial farmers' market nutrition coupon programs,” says Justin Cantafio, President of Canadian Farmers’ Markets and Executive Director of Farmers’ Markets of Nova Scotia. “These win-win programs are addressing food security with local, healthy food while directly supporting Canadian farmers, community-based farmers' markets, and rural economies.”