There is misinformation being shared about the planned closure of the Nappan Research Farm, and it needs to be corrected.
One claim being made is that all employees are being offered jobs in other locations.
That is not true.
Another claim is that Nappan was not productive and was somehow a financial strain on government.
That is also false.
In fact, Nappan is one of the few research farms that actually generated revenue. The problem is that revenue from Nappan was not properly credited back to Nappan. It was taken and reported through the Kentville site, making it easier for government to create a false impression about Nappan’s value.
This is not just about closing a research farm.
This is about government mismanagement.
And here is one very clear example:
The federal government is planning to cull the herd of cattle currently at the Nappan Research Farm, a herd that has been part of this farm for decades.
They refused to allow the cattle to be bred this spring.
Because of that decision, when these cattle are sold this fall at Atlantic Stockyards, they will likely go for slaughter. They may only be worth about $2,500 each.
If they were allowed to be bred, they could be sold as replacement cows through a breeding stock sale and may be worth closer to $5,000 each.
That decision alone could cost approximately $250,000.
Why would government make a decision that reduces the value of the herd and costs taxpayers money?
The answer appears obvious: because they do not simply want to sell the herd. They want to end it. They want to make sure this herd is destroyed and cannot continue.
That is unacceptable.
And it is not too late.
The cattle can still be bred. They can still be sold as breeding stock. They can still go to local farmers. This herd does not have to be sent for slaughter. It does not have to be destroyed.
The Nappan Research Farm has served agriculture, beef producers, food security, and rural Nova Scotia for generations.
Canadians deserve the truth.
This closure is not good financial management. It is not good agricultural policy. It is not good for food security. And it is not good for taxpayers.
At minimum, the federal government must immediately stop any plan to cull this herd, allow the cattle to be bred, and ensure they are offered for sale as breeding stock so local farmers have the opportunity to preserve this bloodline and this important agricultural legacy.
Save Nappan.
Save the herd.
Stop the mismanagement.
Tell Canadians the truth.
Message from MLA Elizabeth Smith-McCrossin regarding planned closure of Nappan Research Centre.
