Wolfville, N.S. – The province of Nova Scotia will have a wine development board to capitalize on a sector that’s growing fast.

Keith Colwell, the province’s Agriculture minister, says the potential is there for the sector to continue to grow.

The new Nova Scotia Wine Development Board will highlight opportunities, identify barriers and provide advice on government legislation, regulation and policy development.

Colwell will lead the board, which include representatives of the province’s farm wineries, grape growers and support services.

The members of the board are:

• Stewart Creaser, president, Winery Association of Nova Scotia and owner, Avondale Sky Winery
• Carl Sparkes, owner, Devonian Coast Wines
• Gerry McConnell, owner, Benjamin Bridge Winery
• Gerry Chute, president, Grape Growers Association of Nova Scotia and a Bear River grape grower
• Jim Warner, grape grower and past president, Grape Growers Association of Nova Scotia
• Michael Lightfoot, grape grower
• Luc Erjavec, vice-president, Atlantic Canada, Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association
• Bret Mitchell, president, chief executive officer, Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation.

There will also be representatives from the departments of Economic and Rural Development and Tourism, and Agriculture, as well as the Nova Scotia Tourism Agency.

“The board’s activities will be good for the long-term grown of the industry,” says Gerry McConnell, “and for economic growth in rural Nova Scotia.”

Last year, $16.7 million worth of Nova Scotia wine was sold. The farm-gate value of the grapes was more than $2 million.