Farmers with crop damage from deer are now able to apply for provincial funding to build fences.

The new funding is available through the $1.6-million Environmental Management and Innovation Initiative under a joint federal-provincial agriculture program, Homegrown Success.

“We have been hearing from industry about the damage to crops caused by wildlife, and that damage translates into loss of revenue for those farmers,” said Agriculture Minister Keith Colwell.

“We are responding to the needs of the industry by providing money for deer fencing.”

Funding will be 50 per cent of eligible costs to a maximum $15,000. The deadline to apply is Friday, May 15.

Details on requirements are outlined in the program guidelines and generally refer to dual fencing or eight-foot-high fences.

“Our government is committed to making sure our producers have the tools they need to get the job done,” said federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. “This is why Growing Forward 2 programming is designed to have the flexibility needed to help the agriculture sector adjust and respond to risks.”

Producers who have already submitted an application to the program can amend their application to include deer fencing.

The Homegrown Success Program is part of Growing Forward 2 and is cost shared 60-40 between the federal and provincial governments.

Details are available at http://novascotia.ca/agri/programs-and-services/financial-funding/growing-forward2/.

Source: Release