Douglas Scott Curtis

Nova Scotia

Douglas Scott Curtis was born on a farm at Princeport, Colchester County, on June 26, 1911. Growing up in a family of 13, he developed a sense of family and community and a vision of what agriculture could be in Nova Scotia. Mr. Curtis found steady work as a herdsman at the Agricultural College in Bible Hill. He engaged himself in both work and study, and in 1938 he graduated from the NSAC.

Mr. Curtis and his wife, Rita then bought their first farm in Old Barns, and in 1948 they moved their family to Onslow to farm on a larger scale.

Mr. Curtis reputation and positive influences have spread to encompass a large sector of the Nova Scotia agricultural community. He promoted and encouraged dairy producers to produce a quality product and to accept quality and health standards that would assure greater acceptance by dairies and consumers.

Mr. Curtis was, prominent in developing a hog industry in the province by advocating greater selective breeding, following recommended feeding practices and producing a carcass that would meet consumer expectations. He was also early to recognize and promote the advantages of artificial insemination for livestock.

He was an early pioneer in the co-operative movement by promoting and supporting an organized, collective and co-operative approach to farm input purchasing and farm output marketing.

The list of his accomplishments is long, including the organizing and direction of rural and farm organizations such as President of the Nova Scotia Co-operative Abattoir, Manager of Canada Farm Labour Pool for Scotsburn and Pictou, Local Farm Forum Group, Onslow-North River Federation of Agriculture, Colchester Federation of Agriculture, Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture, honourary member of the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture Senate Club, Colchester co-op Services Ltd., Nova Scotia Animal Breeders Co-op, and the Nova Scotia Milk and Cream Producers Association.

Mr. Curtis found time for his family and the larger community. He and Rita raised three fine children, Leona, Strathie and Carol. He served on the Colchester County School Board.

Nominated by Scotsburn Co-operative Services Ltd., Douglas Scott Curtis's many contributions to agriculture and the rural community merit recognition in the Atlantic Agricultural Hall of Fame.