CITYnews halifax: N.S. government and feds team up to bring drought relief to farmers

CITYnews halifax / By The Canadian Press Staff

The federal government and Nova Scotia are providing up to $25 million in emergency disaster relief to local farmers devastated by a severe drought in 2025.

In a release, the province says the funding is earmarked for dairy, beef, sheep, and wild blueberry farmers to cover the unusual, extra costs of rebuilding businesses.

The funding is part of the joint disaster relief AgriRecovery framework, with Ottawa providing up to $15 million in relief money and the province contributing up to $10 million.

The provincial government says the drought was one of the worst in generations, creating significant financial pressures for farms that bring in about $315 million to the local economy every year.

“We understand that support is needed to continue to grow and build resilience across our agriculture sector,” says federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Heath MacDonald, in the release. “This additional assistance through the AgriRecovery framework will help to ensure producers can access critical funding.”

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AgriRecovery initiatives are cost-shared between the federal government and participating provinces or territories, as outlined under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership.

Blueberries almost 90% water

The drought conditions last year hit the multi-million-dollar blueberry industry in Nova Scotia hard.

It was so persistent that the quality of the crops was affected so badly that many are not salvageable.

David Percival, director of the Wild Blueberry Research Centre, told The Todd Veinotte Show, that at the time the effects were very pronounced and started even before summer started.

According to him, plants couldn’t even get through the blooming period.

Blueberries are about 85 to 90 per cent water, and regular rainfall during the growing season helps ensure the crop maintains its quality, he explained. The berries aren’t getting big enough, and they have a raisin-like appearance due to a lack of rain.

It’s looking like the industry can’t rely on rainfall alone anymore due to climate change, Percival said.

With additional files from Steve Gow and Blake Priddle CityNews Halifax