N.S. farmers hope bountiful crops make it to market

It’s a rebound year for farmers in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley.

“Last year there was not a peach on this tree,” says Emily Lutz, executive director of the Nova Scotia Fruit Growers Association.

The polar vortex caused the lack of local peaches, plums and cherries. The bountiful crop this year is proving to be only part of the relief.

“It's certainly nice that the trees themselves came back. Of course, if the trees themselves are damaged so much that they die or have to be replaced, it’s a huge investment cost for the grower,” Lutz says.

With the growing season winding down, the focus now turns to the harvest. Farmers are keeping a close eye on potential roadblocks to getting their products to market.

The labour unrest between Canadian National Railway Co. and Canadian Pacific Kansas City, and their workers is being monitored.

“We’re keeping an eye on it, but we’re not too concerned yet,” says William Spurr, president of Horticulture Nova Scotia.

Peaches grow in Berwick, N.S. (Source: Jonathan MacInnis/CTV News Atlantic)

The federal governments’ reduction of the number of temporary foreign workers allowed in the country is also being watched. Right now agriculture is one of the areas exempt from the changes.

“When it first came out that there was going to be changes made, we made some phone calls to see where agriculture was going to fit into the changes,” Spurr says.

“We’re absolutely watching that, our entire industry is reliant on the seasonal portion of that program,” Lutz says. “The workforce is here, they have arrived from all over the world, and everybody’s got things lined up, and I haven’t heard of any problems.”

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