Horticulture Nova Scotia
Member Benefits
Member Application
To become a member of Horticulture Nova Scotia, or to renew your existing membership, please click HNS Membership Form 2025 writeable to download the form.
History
In the mid 1990’s Vegetables Nova Scotia and Berries Nova Scotia were two small associations each with part-time staff; both were struggling. It was decided by the two boards of directors to merge the organizations. A merger committee, which also included the Potato and Processing Pea & Bean Grower’s Marketing Boards, worked to achieve the necessary protocol. At the annual meetings of each organization in January 1998, the memberships voted to merge. In March 1998 the new association, Horticulture Nova Scotia (HNS), was registered under the Societies Act. It also became a designated commodity group under the N.S. Agriculture and Marketing Act, continuing the levy on the sale of strawberry plants previously administered under Berries N.S. In January 2009, the membership voted at its annual meeting to include high-bush blueberry producers and nurseries as eligible for association membership and, in 2015, to add greenhouse vegetable producers.
What we do
Horticulture Nova Scotia provides a voice for industry. It is a membership-driven, non-profit organization representing the interests of the vegetable (including greenhouse vegetable), strawberry, high-bush blueberry, bramble, and related nursery stock growers in Nova Scotia. Membership is voluntary.
HNS works under a board of directors consisting of nine member representatives. Staff includes a full-time executive director and a part-time administrative officer.
The organization is funded in three ways: 1) through voluntary membership dues, 2) through a provincial levy on strawberry plants sold and 3) through fundraising efforts. For those who pay a berry levy, the levy may be used as a pre-payment on voluntary membership.
Benefits of Membership*
Along with the benefits listed below, an addition to the membership benefits of Horticulture Nova Scotia is a membership to Agri-TechE! Agri-TechE is a business-focused membership organization supporting the growth of a world-leading network of innovative farmers, producers, scientists, technologists and entrepreneurs who share a vision of increasing the productivity, profitability and sustainability of agriculture. Together they aim to help turn challenges into business opportunities and facilitate mutually beneficial collaboration. Want to learn more? Just visit here!
Top Ten Reasons to be a Member of Horticulture Nova Scotia
With several categories of membership – grower, agri-business, associate group and associate individual – we appreciate all our existing members and always welcome new ones. And to tell you why membership is important, we present our “Top Ten Reasons to be a Member of Horticulture Nova Scotia”:
Reason # 1 – Promotion of our organization, our members, and the industry – Whenever and wherever possible, we take advantage of opportunities that can have direct or indirect benefits for our members and the agricultural industry. We are advocates for positive change in our industry.
Reason #2 – Partnerships – We strive to work together with like-minded groups, businesses and associations for the mutual benefit of our members and stakeholders.
Reason #3 – Research – we continuously search for new ways to develop (and increase) our research capacity, while administering and supporting on-going research for the benefit of our grower members.
Reason #4 -Industry liaison – As a member of the Canadian Horticultural Council, we have a representative who provides us with a voice nationally, and we participate on CHC commodity committees. Provincially, we have strong representation on the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture’s Council of Leaders. And we strive to have a strong voice with different levels of government, working to ensure members’ needs are met.
Reason #5 – Major industry event host – we host events that bring members and industry together for information and education, like our Scotia Horticultural Congress the end of each January. And we hold events for simply networking and relaxing together, such as our annual HNS/ Veseys/ Stokes golf tournament every June. We also host research-related events through the year – Linking to Action in early spring, a summer research tour, and our Harvest End Breakfast in November.
Reason #6 – Advanced Payments Program (APP) – On behalf of Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, we administer APP advances. These are short-term marketing loans used to help our farmers from planting to market.
Reason #7 – Member-driven committees – Our member volunteers give of their time, talents and energy to ensure Horticulture Nova Scotia provides the best of services and support to its members. Our committees focus on research, communication & promotions, our golf tournament, and the Scotia Horticultural Congress.
Reason #8 – Education – As they are needed, we provide members educational sessions on relevant topics to help them in their business. Sessions vary but could involve CanadaGap certification, social marketing, research, among other topics. We also educate the public on our organization, its members and the industry through presentations and educational opportunities.
Reason #9 – Member rewards & benefits – Our members are able to take advantage of opportunities, like HortProtect health insurance, event and industry discounts. They also receive regular information on opportunities available to benefit them and their business.
Reason #10 -Promotion of Nova Scotia-grown berries and vegetables – At every opportunity, we promote the products our member producers grow. And whenever possible, we share our message of how buying and consuming Nova Scotia grown berries and vegetables benefit our personal, economic, and environmental health.
Yes, there are many reasons to be a member of Horticulture Nova Scotia. And we invite you to join us!
If you have been a member, thank you. If not, we welcome you and invite you to call if you have further questions. A *HNS Membership Form 2025 writeable is provided.
For more on Horticulture Nova Scotia, please see our HNS Annual Report 2022-2023
Marketing Boards
The N.S. Potato Marketing Board, being a legislated body under the Natural Products Act of Nova Scotia, retains its independent status, including directors and finances, and reports to the Natural Products Marketing Council.
This board holds the status of an Affiliated Group to Horticulture Nova Scotia and is administered for an annual fee.