Farm2Chefs President Jared Summers presenting Kamloops Regional Farmers' Market Manager Greg Unger with a $20,000 donation. (Image Credit: Kent Simmonds / CFJC Today)

By Dylana Kneeshaw

FOOD SECURITY SUPPORT

Farm2Chefs food and drink fundraising brings $20K to Kamloops Regional Farmers’ Market

Dec 2, 2025 | 5:06 PM

KAMLOOPS — The Kamloops Regional Farmers’ Market Society was given a $20,000 donation Tuesday (Dec. 2), courtesy of summertime food and drink fundraising from the annual Farm2Chefs event.

Farm2Chefs president Jared Summers says the event began in 2010 as a way to connect local farmers with local chefs. It’s grown since then, and now hundreds of participants come out for often sold-out event, sampling food and beverages from more than two-dozen producers.

Funds generated by the event are given to support organizations that improve food security, and this year the Farmer’s Market was chosen to receive a $20,000 cheque.

“We really felt like this was the best way to achieve the purpose of Farm2Chefs, because really, what better access do you need to local farms than to the Farmers’ Market? And so their ability to keep costs down for farmers and artisans and participants in the market and really promote accessibility on that kind of front, it seemed like a no-brainer,” says Summers.

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Farmers’ Market manager Greg Unger says the Saturday markets draw thousands of patrons over the spring and summer season, and they’ve also expanded to include indoor markets over the winter. The society plans to use the money to keep building awareness and education around the importance of affordable, local food systems.

“Our market purposely keeps our costs down. We go out of our way to make sure we have a pretty low barrier of entry because we want to support up-and-coming small businesses. Farmers are always working on a shoestring budget so we don’t want to put any more barriers in their way,” explains Unger. “This money will help us maintain these low costs for our vendors.”

Winter indoor Farmers’ Markets are held on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. over at the Mount Paul Community Food Centre at 140 Laburnum Street. The next Farm2Chefs event is set for July of 2026, with tickets going on sale in the spring.