News release

Nova Scotians Invited to Take Part in Open Farm Day

Agriculture

Sixty-two farms in the province will open their doors to the public on Sunday, Sept. 18, as Open Farm Day marks its 10th anniversary. The theme is Farmers Feed Communities.

This year, 136 farms in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador are taking part in this agricultural showcase.

Open Farm Day offers people a chance to see the industry first hand.

"Last year, Nova Scotia saw over 10,000 farm visits on Open Farm Day," said Agriculture Minister John MacDonell. "This keen participation demonstrates the popularity of the event, which showcases farmers who are helping bring nutritious healthy foods to our table, while providing good jobs and growing Nova Scotia's economy."

The event is supported by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Sobey's Inc., provincial governments and farm organizations in the Atlantic region.

"Open Farm Day visitors will find that farming today is a modern, innovative and competitive business," said federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. "Our farmers are dedicated to producing high quality, safe food and take great pride in their operations."

"We have a record number of farms open for this year's event," said Beth Densmore, president of the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture. "This is a great opportunity for Nova Scotians to experience the work and passion that our farmers put into producing quality local food to help feed our communities."

The government of Canada and the province of Nova Scotia continue to support the agriculture sector through Growing Forward, a $24.6 million, multi-year series of federal and provincial agricultural programs that assist Nova Scotia farmers in becoming more profitable and competitive.

In Nova Scotia, there are about 3,795 farms employing 5,800 people. In 2010, farm cash receipts totalled $497.7 million and at $277 million, international exports continued to help drive the province's agri-food sector. Dairy is the top revenue-generating sector, followed by fur (mink) and chicken. Eggs, cattle, blueberries, vegetables, floriculture, Christmas trees and apples each generated more than $10 million in farm gate revenues in 2010.

A list of Open Farm Day locations in Nova Scotia is available at www.meetyourfarmer.ca/openfarmday