Nova Scotia’s farmers are receiving more funds to help cover increased trucking costs for limestone.
The Department of Agriculture is putting an additional $200,000 into the Limestone Trucking Assistance Program, increasing it to a total of $550,000.
Nova Scotia’s annual Limestone Trucking Assistance Program helps Nova Scotia farms defray the cost of trucking limestone that is used to neutralize the acidity of the soil on agricultural land, and improve production efficiencies.
The limestone program has been around for 35 years, only under different forms and names. This current iteration has been around since 2018.
Minister of Agriculture Greg Morrow said 175 crop farmers use this program yearly to keep their soils neutralized to grow plants and crops. Photo contributed.
“Farmers need to maintain quality soils to be efficient crop producers and adding limestone helps maintain healthy soils for better growing, farmers are encouraged to apply for this additional funding,” said Greg Morrow, MLA for Guysborough-Tracadie, and the Minister of Agriculture.
“In a typical year, 175 crop farmers use this program so they can truck limestones to the farms and keep their soils neutralized.”
Tim Marsh, president of the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture, said that Nova Scotia’s soil is fairly acidic and, while it is great for blueberries, which are one of the biggest crops in the province, it is not functional for other crops.
“If you're growing vegetables for cattle, and grains, you really want to have a good balance of pH in the soil.”
In the last few years, it has been harder for farmers to even cash flow that limestone merchants are getting.
Tim Marsh, president of the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture said limestone is required in Nova Scotia to level the pH balance of the soil, in order to grow different crops and vegetables. Photo contributed.
Marsh explained the reasons behind the challenges.
“Economics, margins on farms are getting very tight so things have to get chopped out. Fertilizer sales this year are way down because their prices have gone up. It’s frustrating because we all know we need it, but can you afford to buy it.”
Many home gardeners also use and apply limestone to their gardens to keep their soil at a neutral PH for their plants to grow.
“Most plants like the pH level around six to seven, preferably seven which is neutral. That way the plants can grow better and get more nutrients out of the soil.”
MLA Murrow explained the eligibility requirements for the program.
“They would have to have a current farm registration, be at least 19 years of age, and have a current 2021/2022 soil analysis or nutrient management plan at the time of application.”
Listen to the full interview below: