BACKGROUNDER

Highlights of the Canada-Nova Scotia Growing Forward Agreement

The Government of Canada and the Province of Nova Scotia have signed bilateral and contribution agreements. The agreements set out the allocation of federal and provincial funds for non-Business Risk Management (BRM) Growing Forward programs to be offered by Nova Scotia.

The non-BRM programs are designed to complement existing BRM programming with a greater focus on supporting innovation, commercialization and profitability for the sector. Non-BRM programs being launched in the province of Nova Scotia include:

Competitive & Innovative Sector

Innovation and Commercialization of New Opportunities for Agri-based Products: The goal of this program is to increase the competitiveness and profitability of the Nova Scotia agriculture, agri-food and agri-based products sector through supporting the innovation and commercialization of new opportunities.

Technology Development Program: The Technology Development 2000 program supports the development and adaptation of new and leading agricultural technologies and knowledge that will enhance the competitive position of Nova Scotia's agriculture and agri-food industry

Supporting the Innovative Capacity of Farmers: This initiative will provide funds to farmers or groups of farmers to support investments in the development or adaptation of technical innovations in primary agriculture, which contribute to on-farm profitability and competitiveness. Critical to the effectiveness of this program will be the dissemination of knowledge gained through these projects. Under this initiative, emphasis will be placed on smaller-scale projects not funded through existing programming.

Business Development Initiative: The goal of Nova Scotia's Business Development Initiative is to support the development of the agri-food sector and entrepreneurs through the provision of business information, programs and services

Strategic Infrastructure Investment Fund: The Strategic Infrastructure Investment Fund provides funding for physical and human infrastructure projects that strategically position the industry to capture new market opportunities.

Graduate Research Training Initiative: The objective of this program is to provide financial support to graduate students at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College whose research is of benefit to the Nova Scotia agriculture and Agri-Food industry in one of the following three strategic priority areas identified within the Growing Framework Agreement: 1. A Competitive and Innovative Sector; 2. A Sector that Contributes to Society's Priorities; 3. A Sector that is Proactive in Managing Risks. This initiative is intended to encourage highly-qualified students to undertake graduate studies, thus building a professional capacity to meet the future needs of Nova Scotia's Agri-Food industry.

A Sector that Contributes to Society's Priorities and is Proactive in Managing Risk

Environmental Farm Plan Program: The Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) is a voluntary program that helps farmers identify and assess environmental risk on their property. It allows farmers to be proactive on environmental issues and incorporate environmental considerations into their everyday business decisions. Farmers work with the EFP Program Coordinator to develop a confidential environmental farm plan for their operation. Farmers with completed EFPs are eligible to apply for federal and provincial cost-share funding to implement beneficial management practices. The EFP program is delivered by the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture (NSFA).

Beneficial Management Practices (BMPs): This program is comprised of a comprehensive set of incentives (Beneficial Management Practices) to assist farmers to mitigate on-farm environmental risk and to conserve energy. The program provides an opportunity to address items identified in their individual Environmental Farm Plan or Energy Assessment. The enhanced program provides more opportunity and increased incentives to advance environmental farm stewardship and energy conservation for Nova Scotia producers.

Energy Conservation Program: The objective of this initiative is to protect the environment and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through research and the adoption of energy conservation and alternate energy systems. Particular emphasis will be placed on the adoption of technologies which reduce energy requirements of the farm, as well as those which utilize waste produced through the production process.

Food Safety, Biosecurity, Traceability: Nova Scotia will deliver three initiatives to facilitate the early adoption of government-recognized food safety systems by producers and non-federally registered food-processing enterprises through financial incentives. Biosecurity is an initiative to provide and enhance systems and processes to support the early adoption of biosecurity systems. Priority will be given to industry-developed and government-approved biosecurity systems. However, this initiative will also provide funding for the adoption of biosecurity measures for industries that are in the process of having a biosecurity system developed and approved, or to any industry that is interested in increasing biosecurity on farm. The national traceability system will provide funding to individual businesses to assist in the purchase, installation and training of staff to implement animal handling systems, equipment and data systems necessary to record and report data to industry and/or government databases.

Water Management: The objective of this program is to develop and protect water resources in response to the public's concern for safe and adequate water for domestic, industrial and agricultural purposes. Financial assistance is targeted to ensure the supply of quality water for the maintenance and growth of the farm's production base. Eligible activities under this program include tile drainage, surface ditching and leveling of ditch spoil, and land forming on incorporated dyke land/marsh bodies only.

More information is available at http://www.agr.gc.ca/growingforward