Plant Your Roots Program

Funding program from the Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture which provides and support for new and aspiring farmers in Nova Scotia. Through their comprehensive funding opportunity, farmers can avail a loan up to a maximum of $100,000 which they can use in order to improve their farming technologies, enter a new commercial or business venture, or even reactivate viable farmland.

Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture

Overview of the Plant Your Roots Program program:

Plant Your Roots Program is a funding opportunity from the Department of Agriculture of Nova Scotia which aims to support new ownership of commercial farms in Nova Scotia. Farmer applicants can avail up to a maximum of $100,000 in financial assistance which can be utilized to improve farming technologies and other operating ventures. This program aims to support especially those beginner farmers in order for them to improve their financial stability during their first few years of operation.

Benefits of the Plant Your Roots Program program:

Maximum funding of up to $100,000 based on the calculation of the projected loan interest over the course of 4 years.

Eligibility criteria of the Plant Your Roots Program program:

Applicants must be:
- Registered Farms
- Mikmaq conducting farming activities in a Mikmaw community and other under-represented communities, including new African Nova Scotians
- Applicants must reach a minimum level of annual gross income by March 2028
For Commercial Farms:
- Be currently and properly registered in the correct income category under the Farm Registration Act
- Be at least 19 years old and actively farming in the program year
- Be establishing a farm business with the goal of reaching a commercial scale level within 5 years or purchasing a commercial farm (or at least 25% interest in a commercial farm) in Nova Scotia for the first time