Release
Department of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries
December 05, 2025
FREDERICTON – Wild blueberry producers who have Crown land leases and experienced financial losses due to Crown land closure can apply for assistance under a new compensation initiative.
“The 2025 Crown Land Wild Blueberry Compensation Program will provide financial assistance to eligible wild blueberry producers who sustained losses related to the closure of Crown land in August due to the wildfire risk,’’ said Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries Minister Pat Finnigan. “Wild blueberry production is a vital industry in our province, and we are committed to ensuring our growers continue to produce their high-quality crops.”
Crown lands were closed for much of August, coinciding with the wild blueberry harvest period. Producers were allowed to return on Aug. 15, provided they met certain wildfire-prevention conditions and obtained a permit. However, some producers were unable to meet the requirements immediately, resulting in further delays.
New Brunswick has about 8,500 hectares (21,000 acres) of Crown land leased for wild blueberry production.
“Significant crop losses have created financial challenges for many producers, making timely support essential,” said Finnigan. “We also continue to encourage producers to take advantage of available federal-provincial risk management programs, such as AgriInsurance and AgriStability.”
The federal government recently approved a request from the provincial government to extend the enrolment deadline for the AgriStability program this year. It is a margin-based program that protects producers from large declines in income for reasons such as production loss, increased costs and market conditions. Wild blueberry producers are advised to contact their industry association to obtain the terms, conditions and application forms.
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Media Contact(s)
Nick Brown, communications, Department of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries, [email protected].