Farming equipment to help crop growth

Cape Breton’s agricultural sector is receiving a boost through a $184,000 contribution from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency for new equipment to prevent the spread of contamination between farms.

According to ACOA, industry collaboration is helping attract new farmers and is strengthening overall economic performance in Inverness and Victoria counties.

Non-profit organizations like the Inverness/Victoria Federation of Agriculture work to improve collaboration among industry members through shared resources and knowledge transfer.

Members of the federation have a common goal in promoting regional growth in the agriculture and agri-food sectors.

Through the federation, member farms can access specialized farm equipment to increase productivity and encourage innovative farming methods.

The community shared equipment helps to grow established farms and attract new producers by offsetting high start-up costs for new operations.

The volunteer-run federation has been serving the municipalities of Inverness and Victoria counties for more than 80 years.

Monies for new equipment comes from ACOA’s business development program.

The new equipment and technology will include BioSecurity features to prevent the spread of contamination between farms, increase operational efficiencies and streamline methods for collecting, clearing and processing crops.

As part of the project, the Nova Scotia government has also provided an $80,000 repayable sum through its Farm Loan Board.