Federal and Provincial Politicians Clash Over Fate of Nappan Research Farm Cattle Herd
A dispute between a Nova Scotia federal MP and a provincial MLA has brought renewed attention to the planned closure of the Nappan Research Farm, a federal agricultural research facility with deep roots in the Maritime provinces.
A Storied Research Facility Faces Closure
The Nappan Experimental Farm, located south of Amherst, Nova Scotia, has served as Eastern Canada’s premier federal agricultural research facility for nearly 140 years. Founded in 1887, the facility has a long history of supporting Maritime farmers through advancements in livestock management and forage production.
Earlier this year, the federal government announced it would close the facility along with four other sites across the country as part of efforts to reduce public service spending. The decision has drawn criticism from local politicians and agricultural stakeholders who worry about the long-term consequences for the region’s farming community.
Hirtle Pushes Back on Claims of Planned Cull
Cumberland-Colchester Liberal MP Alana Hirtle expressed disappointment upon learning of the closure in January and said she has been in ongoing discussions with the agriculture ministry in Ottawa to explore options. “I’ve been meeting constantly with the agriculture minister and the ministry, the team there in Ottawa, to try to do something,” Hirtle said.
However, Hirtle has firmly pushed back against claims that the federal government intends to slaughter the farm’s cattle herd. In a letter posted on Facebook, she wrote: “There are no plans to cull cattle at Nappan Research Farm. This never happened. The concept is complete fiction. 100 percent false.” She added, “Someone just made it up. They lied on purpose. They wanted to use your feelings for their own purposes.”
Speaking to Global News, Hirtle said, “The position that Miss Smith-McCrossin takes is that the government wants to slaughter these animals at the end of the season and that is the furthest thing from the truth.” She emphasized that her motivation was factual rather than personal. “This is not a personal attack. This is not directed at any one individual. I just felt I had to speak the truth on behalf of my constituents.”
Smith-McCrossin Warns of Irreversible Loss to Herd Bloodline
Elizabeth Smith-McCrossin, the independent MLA for Cumberland North, has been outspoken about the value of the facility and the impact its closure will have on her constituents and the approximately 90 cattle housed at the site.
Smith-McCrossin raised concerns about the status of the animals following the closure announcement. “The people who work on the farm were very upset that the cattle were not allowed to be raised there this spring,” she said. She explained that when cows are not bred and subsequently sold at auction, they are designated as open cows. “And if you are a farmer and are involved in agriculture, you know that is not a good thing.”
Smith-McCrossin warned that this designation would significantly reduce the value of the cows at auction — by an estimated $250,000 — and would likely result in many of the animals being slaughtered after they are sold this fall. She invited Hirtle to speak directly with farm workers, arguing that “if these animals are not bred, they will most likely be slaughtered. And that will mean the end of this line of cattle, which is really sad.”
Despite the heated exchange, Smith-McCrossin stressed that her concerns are rooted in advocacy rather than personal animosity. “This isn’t personal. This is about the Nappan Research Farm, which has been doing important agricultural research for 137 years. We’re in danger of losing that, and people are losing their jobs. They’re losing their livelihoods. And this herd of cattle is going to be lost,” she said.
Federal Government Confirms Dispersal Plan
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the department that operates the Nappan Research Farm, issued a statement addressing the controversy. “It was never the intention to cull the herd at Nappan,” the department confirmed.
The statement noted that a portion of the herd — 130 animals — was sold at auction in April and May. “Once research activities at the Nappan Research Farm are completed, the remainder of the herd will also be sold at auction. This dispersal plan has been specifically designed to allow Maritime beef producers the opportunity to gain access to these animals,” the department said.
Shared Goals Amid Disagreement
Although the two politicians disagree on the implications of the herd’s dispersal, both say they share the same underlying objective: preserving the protected cattle and the valuable herd bloodline that has been cultivated at the facility over more than a century.
The Nappan Research Farm closure remains a contentious issue in the Maritime provinces, with local farmers, politicians, and community members continuing to advocate for the preservation of one of Eastern Canada’s most significant agricultural research operations.
