Halifax, NS (Rural Roots Canada) – Ottawa and Nova Scotia are committing $25 million to help producers in that province recover from last year’s extreme drought, which officials say was the worst drought in generations.
The money comes from the AgriRecovery framework, a federal-provincial-territorial disaster relief program that helps producers cover extraordinary costs associated with recovering from natural disasters.
Wild blueberry producers and dairy and beef cattle were identified through the AgriRecovery assessment as particularly hard-hit by the drought and related costs.
READ MORE: BC Cattlemen’s Association raises the alarm over drought
“Nova Scotia farmers and producers faced an extremely difficult year as a result of last summer’s drought,” said Nova Scotia Agriculture Minister Greg Morrow, in a release. “We have been working closely with industry and producers throughout this situation, and this funding will help operations recover and continue contributing to Nova Scotia’s food supply and rural economy.”
Alicia King, president of the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture, said she’s pleased to see the program respond to the needs of producers in the province.
“Last year’s drought hit our farms hard, and those impacts are still being felt on operations across Nova Scotia today,” said King. “Farmers have been carrying these losses and making difficult decisions for months, so this funding will provide important assistance as they continue their recovery.”
The livestock and wild blueberry sectors generate approximately $315 million annually in farm cash receipts for Nova Scotia.
Last year, parts of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick experienced what’s called an exceptional drought, the most extreme category on the Canadian Drought Monitor. Newfoundland and Labrador were also dealing with severe-to-extreme drought conditions in 2025.
Producers in Nova Scotia will be notified when applications for the program open.
AgriRecovery initiatives are cost-shared between the federal government and participating provinces and territories under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP).
