Plant Your Roots Program

The objective of the Plant Your Roots Interest Rebate is to encourage and support new ownership of commercial farms in Nova Scotia. Program funding is intended to improve the financial stability of beginning farmers in the first years of operation, based on a four-year projected calculation of eligible loan interest on new loans only.

Eligibility

To be eligible, you must be a farm or Mi'kmaq conducting farming activities in a Mi'kmaw community.

Farms must:

  • be currently registered under the Farm Registration Act.
  • be actively farming in the program year and the applicant must be 19 years of age or older.
  • New farmers who have owned a farm business for less than five years and have not yet achieved $30,000 in farm revenue.

OR

  • New farmers who are purchasing their first commercial farm or purchasing at least 25% interest in a commercial farm for the first time.

Refer to the Program Guidelines for detailed eligibility.

Deadline or important dates

Program opening: April 24, 2025
Application deadline: February 15, 2026

How to apply

Submit a complete application within 6 months of the date the loan offer was accepted by the applicant by the application deadline listed.

Applicants new to Programs since 2023 must complete the Program Funding Registration (PFR) form. Returning applicants are to update their PFR form as necessary.

Contact

Department of Agriculture
Programs Division
74 Research Drive
Bible Hill, NS B6L 2R2

Phone: 902-893-6377
Toll-free: 1-866-844-4276
prm@novascotia.ca

Downloads

Program Guidelines
Application Form
Program Funding Registration Form - Farm Applicants