Province Partners with Horticulture Nova Scotia to Extend Growing Season
Fruit and vegetable farmers can get provincial support to extend the growing season through the Season Extension Enhancement Program. (Province of Nova Scotia / File)
Fruit and vegetable growers are being supported to increase the availability of local produce.
The Province and Horticulture Nova Scotia are once again offering the Season Extension Enhancement Program to help fruit and vegetable farmers extend their growing seasons.
“Consumers want to buy local products year round, especially with the expansion of the Nova Scotia Loyal program,” said Greg Morrow, Minister of Agriculture. “The additional funding will help our fruit and vegetable growers to extend their growing seasons, adapt to a changing climate with undercover production, and open up new market opportunities.”
The Province is investing an additional $7 million in the enhancement program, which helps farmers expand their operations and increase productivity by funding items such as greenhouses, irrigation, lighting and cold storage.
Quotes:
“Farmers have consistently requested the return of this popular program since its first iteration. It is a practical program targeting designated areas our farmers themselves have identified as important and necessary to season extension.”
— Marlene Huntley, Executive Director, Horticulture Nova Scotia
“The previous Season Extension Enhancement Program was essential to our farm as, without the tunnels we bought with funding assistance, we wouldn’t have a profitable raspberry crop. It helped us continue producing market quality raspberries, which are in high demand. New funding will allow us to continue tapping into that market and make us competitive with countries such as USA and Mexico.”
— Jordan Eyamie, manager, Webster Farms Ltd.; President, Horticulture Nova Scotia
Quick Facts:
- 64 farms previously received support through the Season Extension Enhancement Program
- the $7 million will be added to the remaining $1.5 million left from the last round of Season Extension Enhancement Program funding
Additional Resources:
News release – Government Funding Supports Local Food Production: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2022/12/16/government-funding-supports-local-food-production