To understand the
agricultural benefits of weather stations, you need to understand the
importance of weather forecasting to growers. Weather plays a crucial role in
commercial and domestic agriculture, and one miscalculation can result in a
poor harvest. With labour and material costs increasing, there is very little
room for error. Weather stations will not stop a hurricane or a heat wave, but
they will provide you with hyperlocal weather data that can be used to make
proactive planting and harvesting decisions. Climatic variations across Nova
Scotia, particularly the Annapolis Valley, can be extreme. Due to the unique
topography and proximity to the Bay of Fundy, weather conditions may vary
greatly between two farms separated by less than 25 km.
Agricultural weather
stations are specifically designed to deliver more valuable information to
growers through real-time data monitoring. For example, weather conditions have
a huge impact on crop growth. Many crops require high temperatures and humidity,
while others thrive in colder, dry environments. Many growers also use
temperature, humidity, and other factors to predict pest infestations and
disease outbreaks, so that they can proactively plan planting, harvesting, and
protection accordingly. You can accurately track climatic changes over the
course of a day, week, season, or year with a weather station depending on your
location, allowing you to make informed decisions in subsequent years.
Weather Station Assistance Program
The Weather Station Assistance
Program encourages producers to embrace on-farm weather station technology and
adopt tools that allow them to fully utilize the data gathered. This will
strengthen the industry and empower producers to make necessary proactive
management decisions to mitigate the impacts of climate change and adverse
weather conditions.
Eligibility
A farm that:
- is currently and properly
registered in the correct income category under the Farm Registration Act
- applicant is at least 19
years of age and actively farming in the program year
Agricultural Industry
Association:
- represents identifiable Nova
Scotia agriculture and agri-food products; and
- demonstrates not-for-profit
status by providing documentation
Read the Program Guidelines for
detailed eligibility criteria.
Deadline or important dates
Program Opening: 15 March, 2022
Application Deadline: 30 April, 2022
How to Apply
Complete and submit the Weather
Station Assistance Application to the Programs office.
Clients new to programs since
2018 must complete the Program Funding Registration (PFR) Form. Returning
clients to update PFR form as necessary.
Supporting Documents
Program Guidelines, Application Form and Program Funding Registration Forms are available in the “Downloads” section.
By: Dustin MacLean, Horticulturalist/Field Plant Pathologist
