Students are getting a little help from Nova Scotia to purchase local food.

The province will pass out $10 vouchers to about 131,000 students in public schools this month, in grades primary to grade 12.

They can be used for any locally grown, harvested or crafted product at participating farmers’ markets.

Minister of Economic Development, Susan Corkum-Greek says farmers’ markets are wonderful learning opportunities for students.

She tells our newsroom having their own voucher to spend at the market, is also a way to empower students while growing our sense of community.

“This is a way for us to take the lessons about healthy eating and healthy lifestyles and even the economic and environmental issues from the classroom and bring them into the household.”

Corkum-Greek says the pilot program from last year that included four school districts 13,000 children, was a success, with about a 30 per cent redemption rate.

“Thirty per cent, redemption, but 60 per cent of those that families redeemed, indicated they were new…they had not been to their farmers’ market beforehand.”

She says this is a unique opportunity for students as consumers to consider local when making their purchases.

The voucher program is a partnership between Nova Scotia Loyal and the Farmers’ Markets of Nova Scotia to attract new customers.

Nova Scotia Loyal is designed to make it easier to identify local products and provide incentives to support local business.