Nova Scotia announces funding for farmers hit with strawberry virus

Friday, August 9, 2013, 2:59 PM -

Nova Scotia Agriculture Minister John MacDonell says the province is providing funding to help farmers affected by a strawberry virus.

File photo

MacDonell says the money will support interest free loans to help cover the cost of replanting crops.

The department says between the interest free loan program and three existing federal programs about $2 million in assistance is available.

The final cost of the province's support for the interest free loans is expected to be less than $100,000.

Repayment of the loans will only be required after a strawberry crop is harvested.

According to the CBC, the virus has decimated the yields of some farmers by as much as 90 percent.

Experts say the virus is a combination of two diseases and is spread by plant lice.

With files from the Canadian Press