At least five vendors have been terminated from the Peterborough Farmers’ Market days before the outdoor market is set to begin.
According to Julie Fleming of Circle Organic, her business along with McLean Berry Farm, Otonabee Apiary, Gaelic Garlic and Chef Marshall were “handed their pink slip” from the Peterborough Farmers’ Market Board on Tuesday.
Andrew Flaman, who co-owns Circle Organics, said the news comes at a very difficult time for the business.
He said the Saturday market accounts for one-third of the farm’s business, and that they’d made seed purchases and orders assuming they would have somewhere to sell that produce when it’s grown.
“Then you get a decision like this two days before the start of the season?” Flaman said, shaking his head. “I don’t know what to say.”
Romeyn Stevenson, who runs Gaelic Garlic, was more blunt.
“No surprise,” he said as he manned his stall at the Downtown Farmer’s Market early Wednesday morning.
“You could see it coming like a locomotive coming down the railway.”
He said the board has tried to oust him and other vendors on at least two other occasions over the last two years.
“About two-thirds of my business was the Saturday market,” he said.
“I laid the staff off, really simple. And now what we have to do is we are going to move as much business as possible from the Saturday market to the Wednesday market.”
Both Flaman and Stevenson said they’ve spoken to lawyers about the situation.
Neither could say what would happen next, but Stevenson wouldn’t rule out court action.
“We’re meeting Thursday evening to discuss that and come up with an answer,” he said. “The answer would probably be yes and the lawyers are chirping at it to do the job right now.”
In January, the board held a meeting to determine the future of a so called “Group of 7” who were facing eviction for behaviour deemed “detrimental to the corporation.”
The board said 16 members filed a petition demanding their removal but the board has never stated what exactly the concerns have been. The vendors claim they’ve never been informed of the concerns.
Some of the vendors in question have publicly questioned the re-selling of items at the market — a practice that is discouraged.
After a four-and-a-half hour meeting, nothing was resolved.
Fleming said more details would be released later Wednesday.
Late Wednesday, the Peterborough & District Farmers’ Market Association confirmed five vendors’ applications for market space were not renewed for the forthcoming year.
“The PDFMA is not a in a position to comment on the specific reasons why individual members’ applications were not renewed, as that is a private matter between each of those vendors and the market,” a statement read.
“The PDFMA is committed to its mission, which is to ensure that vendors can maintain a smoothly run market in a spirit of mutual respect, all for the purpose of providing superior customer service and fostering a vibrant and positive atmosphere. The opportunity to sells goods or produce at the Peterborough Farmers’ Market is a privilege. Every year, the PDFMA reviews the renewal applications for each vendor and assesses, among other factors, whether a vendor is in good standing with the market, as well as whether the applicant vendor understands, supports and promotes the market’s mission statement. To achieve its mission, it is of paramount importance that vendors work as a team and treat each other with respect, courtesy and fairness.
The decision not to renew a vendor’s application is a difficult one to make. The PDFMA understands that such a decision can have consequences for individual vendors, as it may have an impact on shoppers. For this reason, the PDFMA has taken the time to carefully review each application and to weigh each of them individually, so as to come to a decision that is in the best interest of the market community.”
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