Fund Supports Healthy Lunches for Students on the South Shore

Through a $160,000 investment, Invest Nova Scotia is supporting farmers and setting students up for success by delivering healthy lunches in five schools on the province’s South Shore.

The investment will support Agri-Futures Nova Scotia’s salad bar pilot project. The announcement was made today, Sept. 25, at Hebbville Academy, Hebbville, Lunenburg Co., by the fund’s independent board of directors.

“Invest Nova Scotia supports projects that foster innovation and collaboration to help grow our province’s economy,” said Ken Deveau, chair of Invest Nova Scotia. “This will give students the opportunity to make healthy food choices while teaching them the importance of buying locally grown products.”

The one-year pilot, will aim to serve 25,000 meals, using 30 per cent locally grown ingredients. If it proves to be successful, Agri-Futures Nova Scotia hopes to replicate the project in schools across the province.

Quotes:

“Agri-Futures Nova Scotia is pleased to be a part of the solution of getting local, healthy foods into schools. With support from Invest Nova Scotia and our other partners, we are working together to make real food system changes to benefit our health, the environment and our economy.”

– Richard Melvin, chair of Agri-Futures Nova Scotia

“Our school is thrilled to be a part of such a fantastic, home-grown initiative. This generous investment by Invest Nova Scotia allows us to have healthier students in our classrooms. The fact that it also serves to help our local farmers makes it even sweeter. We all know that better-fed students are happier and more engaged.”

– Stephen Johnson, principal of Hebbville Academy

“This project is an innovative way of bringing the agriculture industry into the classroom. Teaching students about the importance of supporting our local farmers through buying local, will strengthen our agriculture industry and help grow our economy.”

– Mark Furey, Minister of Justice

Quick Facts:

• the salad bar pilot supports the ONE Nova Scotia report’s goal to increase domestic markets for agricultural products
• Chester Area Middle School, Chester, Bluenose Academy, Lunenburg, West Northfield Elementary, West Northfield and New Germany Rural High, New Germany, have already begun the pilot
• Invest Nova Scotia is an independent decision-making board that grants economic incentives. Projects must spark innovation, be collaborative, measurable and sustainable and advance the strategic goals of the ONE Nova Scotia Coalition
• Agri-Futures Nova Scotia is a non-profit organization made up of Nova Scotia farmers created to deliver funding on behalf of Agriculture Canada

Additional Resources:

For more information on Agri-Futures Nova Scotia, visit https://www.agri-futures.ns.ca/

For more information on Invest Nova Scotia, visit https://beta.novascotia.ca/apply-project-funding-invest-nova-scotia