National Farmers Union - Nova Scotia

06/11/2026

Reflecting back on this powerful Spring gathering hosted by and (thanks for the photos Nike!).

It was important to connect with community leaders from Digby and Annapolis Counties to discuss how we are already building and protecting community wealth, and how we can grow our movement.

The National Farmers Union NS's Paul Wartman brought up our campaign Species At Risk - Farmers novascotian to become an accredited Farm Business Organization and he brought a farming perspective to the space. See more details about this in the link in our bio.

Connecting with Rural Communities Foundations NS around grants and convening NS organizations was important relationship building for us. Their work on food self-determination and climate change aligns strongly with our work.

Deepening our relationship with the Centre for Local Prosperity is part of our ongoing Atlantic region networking around advocacy to governments and grassroots skill building. We'll be participating in their Local Prosperity Festival in August. Be sure to check that out.

"Community Wealth Building is a framework that keeps wealth rooted in community. We have all the skills, resources, creativity, and people we need to bring about transformative change in rural Atlantic Communities." - CLP

Appreciated my conversations with Debbie from West Dalhousie Community, Hiren from The Digby & Area Community Gardens, and, Linda from Farm Works, and Richelle from the Valley Regional Enterprise Network. Hearing from all others was insightful!

Looking forward to continuing our collective work!

06/10/2026

Farmers and farm workers in Nova Scotia / Mi'kma'ki are the people who feed us and so much more.

The NFU NS is calling on farmers, farm workers, and eaters to spread this poster and sign our petition.

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Petition:
Link in bio
or
Scan the QR code with your phone.
If viewing on your phone screen, take a screen shot (volume button and power button) and use Google Lens on Android or tap and hold on iphone.

Farms want a choice when it comes to which organization they register their farm with.

Currently farms don't have a choice--the only option for farm registration is the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture.

The National Farmers Union Nova Scotia (NFU NS) believes that farms should have a choice and is working to become a farm business organization. The NFU advocates for a food system based on the principles of food sovereignty, which focuses on food for people, values food providers, localizes food systems, puts control locally, and works with nature.

We are working with the NS Department of Agriculture and partners to create a process for additional farm organizations so that you can have a choice. Many of you took part in our recent petition to start this work and now we need to show “significant interest” from the farming community to establish a process for farm business organization accreditation.

We need 135 registered farms to sign on. All are welcome to sign to show support!

Please sign on and share widely!

06/08/2026

In this interview, NFU-NS members Jessie MacInnis and Paul Wartman share with Rooted’s Martha Caswell how their intergenerational, intercultural movement is building networks for land-based learning and increasingly serving as a strong voice for agroecology.

Read the whole article via the link in the link via or .nfu bio.

06/05/2026

International Brigade Highlights - Day 1

We gathered at the beautiful .farm with members from .unf.nb and .nfu to work together on fencing, seedling transplanting, and many other tasks. While working and comfy in the living room we exchanged knowledge on how to grow food and how to grow our social movement.

Watch above for some of the key lessons and join us as a farm member, farm worker member, or associate (eater) member to put these lessons into action. Learn more about membership via the link in our bio.

06/02/2026

WE DID IT!
After a couple years of planning and the commitment of over 50 people and 8 organizations, we completed the first NFU International Brigade!

Stay tuned for photos and lessons learned from our past week of moving across NS / Mi'kma'ki, working on 7 different farm and food projects, exchanging organizing practices to scale food sovereignty, and having fun.

Congrats to everyone involved! We did it!

Now to put the lessons learned and connections formed into deeper practice. Sign up for our email newsletter to take part (link in our bio).

05/21/2026

As part of the National Farmers Union NS's Agroecology Brigade, Hope Blooms and are hosting an inspiring session on how Organización Boricuá organizes to strengthen their agricultural community and how they build social infrastructure to weather climate and political disasters.

All are welcome to join. There is no cost to attend.

Location: Hope Blooms, 2346 Brunswick St., Halifax / Kjipuktuk
Date and time: Wednesday May 27th at 1 to 3pm

More info or questions can be sent to [email protected]

05/01/2026

See you all at Glitter Bean Cafe!

🗓️Friday, May 1 | 12 PM
📍 Come to Glitter Bean Cafe for a free samosa and pop!

04/29/2026

Hello NFU NS members, land stewards of Mi'kma'ki, growers in Nova Scotia, and allies!

We, the National Farmers Union in Nova Scotia, are organizing an Agroecology Brigade with Organización Boricuá (Puerto Rico), and you're invited to apply to participate!

The link to Round 2 applications is in our bio.

In Round 2 of applications we invite you to apply if you are *any* of the following:
- Actively involved with the NFU in some capacity
- A current NFU farm worker, farm unit, family farm, youth membership, or associate member
- Actively farming, gardening, growing food/plants/animals/etc. for community, harvesting food/plants/animals/etc. for community. Or interested in doing so.
- Part of a farming or food system organization (not necessarily growing food)
- Mi'kmaw farmer, farm worker, harvester, gardener, food system steward
- African NS / Black farmer, farm worker, harvester, gardener, food system steward

But act quickly because we only have funding for 20 people and the dates are approaching (applications due by end of May 8).

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Our next planning meeting for the Brigade is Wed May 6 at 7 - 9pm. Join for all or some of this time.

Get the link to apply and the meeting details from the link in our bio.
Link to Apply: https://forms.gle/YPF4Qm9e3aXhS7917
Or message us here or email [email protected]

Here we go!

04/29/2026

We need to defend the rights of all workers, including farm workers. Thanks to Centre for Migrant Worker Rights Nova Scotia for their ongoing work of standing up for migrant farm workers.

Every year, the Day of Mourning is observed on April 28 to pay tribute to workers who have died or been seriously injured because of their work.

Today, we remember migrant workers who have passed away or who have been seriously injured while working in Nova Scotia and across Canada. In 2025 alone, workplace injuries accounted for 65% of our casework and helpline support. We continue to advocate alongside migrant workers for safe and dignified working conditions, as well as access to workplace injury benefits. 

At our Dia de Los Muertos/Day of the Dead event in November, we remembered migrant worker Junior Allen who passed away last year while working on a farm in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley. We also remembered Alejandro Rios who passed away in 2023.