Please reserve Sunday November 17th for LOCAL LAUNCH at Fountain Commons with FarmWorks and Acadia Launchbox! Watch farmworks.ca/events for information! Local Launch - FarmWorks and Acadia University Lunchbox.

Friends of Agriculture in Nova Scotia (FANS) sponsors May Flavours Dinners to raise awareness of delicious, nutritious local food and beverages and to raise funds to support initiatives such as school gardens. We would love for you to attend the May Flavours Dinner at the Louis Millet Community Centre on Wednesday May 22 at 5:30 pm.

In addition to the wonderful food there will be a silent auction with a range of outstanding works of art featuring Nova Scotian food and beverage providers, and items such as a Gift Certificate for a Dinner for two at Wild Caraway, a Trio of Taste Getaway package including Tasting certificates for Avondale Sky Winery and Meander River Farm and Brewery and Accommodations and Charcuterie Box and a Fresh Hot breakfast at The Flying Apron Inn and Cookery, and a Flying Apron Product Basket.

Dinner & Silent Auction, Wednesday, May 22nd, 5:30 pm at the Louis Millet Community Complex, 9489 Commercial Street, New Minas.

Dinner Tickets at $60.00, free under 12, table of 8 is $425, available on Eventbrite or by etransfer to lbest@ns.sympatico.ca

For more information please contact Linda Best at lbest@ns.sympatico.ca

Dear Shareholders,

Thank you for contributing to the success of FarmWorks and our Clients! We're looking forward to meeting many of you in person or on zoom in the next two months as we bring together Clients and Shareholders and Directors at FarmWorks Connects sessions - locations will soon be posted on the FarmWorks website. Connections are key as we help build a stronger field to fork food system for all Nova Scotians.

Please note that If you invested in 2019 your shares will roll over in March for a 20% tax credit or in 2014 for a 10% tax credit unless redeemed at the end of February, which is the end of the five year term. Note that the 20% credit, as an example, can save $2,000 provincial tax on a $10,000 investment. Please check your certificates and email us with questions. As well, please send us any changes in your address. Note that shares held at the demise of the holder are redeemed without repayment of tax credits.

FarmWorks Clients greatly appreciate your investment which is making a significant difference for their businesses as they work to provide good food for Nova Scotians. I've attached the preliminary Executive Summary of the 2023 Survey and here are some of the comments from Clients about what FarmWorks does:

• FarmWorks is an amazing organization and I tell everyone interested in the local food movement about the great work that is happening!

• FarmWorks worked with us as people and not as numbers. They got to know us and what we wanted to accomplish before deciding anything. We would not be operating outside of the farmers market without FarmWorks

• FarmWorks has created a real community

• FarmWorks are excellent advocates and supporters of the local food economy.

• We appreciate their vision for what we are trying to accomplish with our business. Their commitment to local agriculture. Their eagerness to help and their prompt reaction to put the financing into place.

• The support, understanding and positivity from the FarmWorks team is unparalleled!

• Excellent support and invaluable resource

• Working with FarmWorks has been a wonderful experience. Thank you!

• I would never have even tried if it wasn't for FarmWorks. Knowing FarmWorks existed gave me hope.

• FarmWorks is the bright light for many of us. Continue doing what you are doing...

• Thank you for all your work and support and the changes you make in the world XOX

• I am grateful for all FarmWorks does in these challenging times.

• Thank you for the ongoing support and all that you do in the community! My business could not have started without you.

• Getting more business people involved at a mentorship and education level would be of use to help foster a culture that can succeed in business. Investors should also feel that they are contributing as well as benefiting. Keep up the great initiative. It is a big support for small enterprises. Thank you.

• Thank you so much for always believing in us!!

• Opportunities to meet with other FarmWorks recipients to network would be very beneficial. Maybe access to a summary document that outlines all FarmWorks recipients, contact info and summaries of what they sell or do so we could increase our markets for goods.

• Thank you for these insightful questions!

• Thanks and much love!

• Farms are having a hard go - always have. We need a higher value placed on local food so that local food production can stop being undervalued and farmers underpaid.

FarmWorks’ 2023 Annual General Meeting took place at 2 pm on Sunday April 30th at the Dartmouth Wooden Monkey in person, and virtually.

FarmWorks’ independent accountants, Grant Thornton, have prepared the 2022 year-end Financial Statements and here is the 2022 Annual Report and Minutes of the 2022 AGM.

FarmWorks Clients who were Guest Speakers included: Paul Hill, Hill’s Jamaican Jerk Sauce and Maritime Foods. Jason Wolfe, Urban Lighthouse Farm. Sophia Gruber & Andreas Preuss, Oxalis Restaurant.

Dear Shareholders,

Thank you to everyone who has invested in FarmWorks’ twelve offers of Shares – some of you have invested in every offer! Please visit FarmWorks website to keep up to date with all the wonderful FarmWorks clients who are growing Nova Scotia’s food economy using the money you have invested. They appreciate your support and your purchases of their food and beverages. Please keep the Map of Loan Recipients close at hand!

The twelfth offer raised $574,900 for an overall total of $5,209,300 and only 6.6% of investments have been redeemed over the previous years, primarily by people collapsing RRSPs. Rather than redeeming FarmWorks shares at age 71, especially if part-way through a five-year term, it may be convenient for RRSP holders to switch to non-registered shares that continue to be invested in FarmWorks. All FarmWorks documents are immediately provided at the close of each Offer to the Department of Finance which issues the Equity Tax Credit Certificates and to the Canadian Workers Cooperative Federation which issues the RRSP claim forms.

To date over $8,323,500 has been loaned to 152 qualifying businesses that are helping to increase the economic, health, social, environmental, and other benefits that result from producing and eating Nova Scotian food. Loan recipients are carefully chosen by the Board to balance risk and achieve strategic goals: increasing the supply of food, creating and maintaining jobs and stimulating the economy, and supporting people and the environment. FarmWorks Clients adapted to COVID 19 and are adjusting to rising input costs and climate-related challenges as they develop their food-related businesses to provide for their clients, their communities, and the Province.

The volunteer Directors of FarmWorks Investment Co-operative Limited come from across Nova Scotia and bring expertise in agriculture and food production, economic development, education, health, business, finance and sustainability and the environment. It is an honour to be a Director of this organization that’s making a significant difference in outcomes across Nova Scotia. Those of you who have attended any of our ‘Gentle Dragons’ Information sessions have heard from clients and applicants about the respect they have for what FarmWorks is accomplishing.

FarmWorks’ 2023 Annual General Meeting will take place at 2 pm on Sunday April 30th at the Dartmouth Wooden Monkey in person, and virtually (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83852623638). FarmWorks’ independent accountants, Grant Thornton, are preparing year-end Financial Statements which will be posted on FarmWorks’ website in advance of the AGM together with the Agenda and information about the FarmWorks Clients who will be Guest Speakers.

FarmWorks will be participating in various events during the summer and fall and these will be posted on the website – watch for announcements!

Thank you everyone!

For more information please contact:

Linda Best

lbest@ns.sympatico.ca