The Nova Scotia Farm Environmental Stewardship Award is now accepting applications for 2015. This is the seventh year for this annual award, which showcases the outstanding stewardship efforts of farms and elevates public awareness of sustainable farming practices across the province. The deadline for receiving applications is midnight on June 30th, 2015. Applications will be judged by agricultural specialists on the basis of how well the stewardship actions of the applicant meet the judging criteria.
Do you know of a farm that has adopted new practices or technologies or has undertaken projects to protect soil, water or wildlife habitat? If so, we would like to encourage you to nominate this farm(s).
The award winner will receive a framed painting of their farm by a local artist as well as a cash prize of $2000. To be eligible for the award the farm must have an environmental farm plan, is a registered farm in Nova Scotia and be a member of the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture. In 2014, the award was presented to Kevin and Susan Veinotte, Out to Pasture Farm, Lunenburg County (see NSFA website for article on their farm).
The Farm Environmental Stewardship Award is a part of the NS Environmental Farm Plan Program. It was created through a partnership of the Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the NS Environmental Farm Plan Team and the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture. The Environmental Farm Plan Program is an initiative under the Canada-Nova Scotia Growing Forward Agreement.
Award application forms are available at http://www.nsfa-fane.ca/efp/ or by calling 893-2293.