New Fund to Support Growth in Agriculture, Seafood Sectors
Workers prune trees in an apple orchard this spring. (Province of Nova Scotia / File)
The Province is launching a new fund to support big, bold projects in the agriculture and seafood sectors.
“This fund is about supporting the people who bring new ideas to grow our economy and help businesses,” said Greg Morrow, Minister of Agriculture. “Agriculture and seafood are important traditional industries in our province. But we can’t keep doing things the same old way – we need to support fresh thinking and innovation.”
The Nova Scotia Seafood and Agriculture Strategic Investment Fund will support companies proposing large-scale projects that boost productivity and help their business expand. It could involve adopting new technology, changing how they do business, or finding new markets for their products.
“We are looking for creative ideas that can take businesses to the next level,” said Kent Smith, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture. “This isn’t just about helping individual companies, this is an all-hands-on-deck effort to build stronger industries and a stronger province.”
Quotes:
“Innovation truly thrives when industry and government actively join forces, combining expertise to drive meaningful progress and accelerate impactful change. Oberland welcomes opportunities to partner with the Government of Nova Scotia to advance sustainable solutions that turn local challenges into global leadership.”
— Greg Wanger, founder and CEO, Oberland Agriscience Inc.
“We’re pleased to see this investment as a positive step forward for Nova Scotia’s agriculture industry. Strategic support like this helps strengthen our competitiveness, drives innovation and creates opportunities for sustainable growth in the sector.”
— Alicia King, President, Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture
“The members of the Nova Scotia Seafood Alliance are experiencing first-hand the challenges of tariffs and the changing expectations of our global seafood customers. We need an industry that is innovative, resilient and adaptive to meet the needs of more diverse markets and customers so that we can maximize the economic value of the seafood sector for Nova Scotia’s seafood producers and for Nova Scotians. The alliance is pleased that with the launch of the new Nova Scotia Seafood and Agriculture Strategic Investment Fund, the Province is showing its continued commitment to supporting the innovation and diversification efforts of the seafood sector as we continue to evolve to provide the highest quality seafood to the world.”
— Allan MacLean, President, Nova Scotia Seafood Alliance
Quick Facts:
- the Province is providing $4.71 million for the fund
- funded projects must be completed by January 2027
- the fund will be managed by Perennia, a provincial development agency with a mission to support growth, transformation and economic development in Nova Scotia’s agriculture, seafood and food and beverage sectors
Additional Resources:
Nova Scotia Seafood and Agriculture Strategic Investment Fund: https://www.perennia.ca/sasi/
News release – New Mapping Tool Supports Aquaculture Growth: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2025/07/03/new-mapping-tool-supports-aquaculture-growth
News release – Seafood Companies Receive Climate Change Funding: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2025/06/27/seafood-companies-receive-climate-change-funding
News release – Province Partners with Horticulture Nova Scotia to Extend Growing Season: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2025/06/04/province-partners-horticulture-nova-scotia-extend-growing-season
News release – New Food Safety Pilot Program to Help Local Producers Expand: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2025/04/25/new-food-safety-pilot-program-help-local-producers-expand