the agriculturalist -- dec 20121 issue
DESCRIPTION
Monthlt farmers newspaperTRANSCRIPT
VOL.22 NO. 6 • DECEMBER 2011 FREE COPY WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM
CHAMPION EXTENSION LEADERS:(lr) Donald Robinson, Most Outstanding Parish Manager, Howard O’Hara; Most Outstanding Deputy Parish Manager and Reginald Scott, Most Outstanding Lifestock Officerat the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) staff Awards Ceremony held onWednesday (December 14) in Kingston.
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President of the Jamaica Agricultural Society, Glendon Harris,conceded that neither the JamaicaLabour Party (JLP) nor the People’sNational Party (PNP) have doneenough, in budgetary allocation tothe agricultural sector comparedwith tourism, manufacturing andother productive sectors.
“The farm roads, irrigationnetworks, inadequate extensionservices, poor marketing and lackof access to credit continue toplague farmers,” Harris noted. Harris, who is also a Councillor in theSt James Parish Council representing the opposition PNP, is howeverexpecting agriculture to be a priority for both political parties.
Chairman of theAllIsland Banana Growers Association(AIBGA), Gerthel Sessing, saidfarmers, especially banana growers,are expecting the next administration to aggressively facilitate the resuscitation of the industry and putin place appropriate regulations tocurtail the importation of bananaproducts.
Chairman of the Jamaica CaneFarmers Association, AllanRickards, charged that none of Jamaica’s Ministers of Agriculturesince independence has been successful in getting the support oftheir Cabinet colleagues.
“We are not seeking handoutsor subsidies,we are always seekingproduction incentives similar towhat are given to other industries,”Rickards explained.
The chairman, who representssome 35,000 cane farmers, said thegovernment should remove upfrontpayment of GCT from all farm inputs, and a tax rebate for diesel oil.“The ‘token support’ will not helpto achieve sustainable growth inagricultural production,” he declared.
Donald Salmon, vicepresident, Jamaica Coffee Growers Association, said farmers areexpecting Government to addressthe ongoing problems, includingthe unreliable marketing of severalagricultural commodities, especially coffee and cocoa.
“Government should developa better partnership with the farmers to better address the issues,”Salmon noted.
In their manifesto, the People’sNational Party (PNP) promised tofocus on increased food security.The objective of food security assumes increased significance forsmall island states such as Jamaica,which are net importers of food.
The Jamaica Labour Party(JLP) noted that the most compelling priorities for agriculture areraising the level of productivity,through the use of technology andimproved farming practices andproviding better access to markets.The JLP is committed to aggressively promoting the use of proventechnology to increase yield, improve quality and rationalize theuse of scarce water. ���������� �������������������
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Farm LeadersWant MoreCommitment
By Patrick Maitland, Editor The Agriculturalist
With Jamaica’s General Election scheduled for December 29,2011, farm leaders are expecting more resources and protec
tion from the political party which forms the next government.
Deadlinefor Jamaica
Citrus Growersbids extendedThere has been a one month ex
tension of the deadline for thesubmission of bids for the acquisition of Jamaica Citrus GrowersLimited.The entity’s receiver/manager
has announced that the date hasbeen changed from December 19to January 27.Jamaica Citrus Growers, which
is a subsidiary of the Jamaica Citrus Growers Association, is engaged in the processing, packagingand marketing of citrus productsand the production of chilled beverages under the “Juciful” label.The factory is based on seven
acres of land in Bog Walk, St.Catherine.
22 • THE AGRICULTURALIST • DECEMBER 2011 WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM
‘Grow and EatOrganically’
Distributors of:
•Ecklonia Kelp Plant Stimulant•KelpPlus Fish Emulsion Fertilizer
For more info and to order your products:Tel: 3905382 • 3280027 or Email: [email protected]
www.eckogap.com
WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM DECEMBER 2011 • THE AGRICULTURALIST • 3
EDITORIAL PAGE
Jamaica’s annual food import bill is nowat an all time high of over US$800 million. This came as a result of a number ofchallenges that have been facing farmers,including policies implemented by successive governments during the past 40years.
Starting in the 1970s, the governmentfarm policies were too political to impactpositively on production. Project LandLease was introduced in 1973, and sawthe redistribution of over 18,000 hectaresand promised to help more than 23,000farmers. People saw the project then as inadequate and containing marginally arableland, highly uneconomical and partisan inpolitical terms.
The redistribution of land in the1970s also emphasized cooperative ownership, a decision that sharply increasedthe number of cooperatives and mademembers an important political force.With sporadic marginal growth in domestic food production, traditional crops, including banana, sugar, cocoa and coffeeas well as livestock, started to decline.
Government policies toward landtenure and land use shifted in the 1980s infavor of privatization, commercialization
and modernization of agriculture. Sugarcooperatives were dismantled, some government holdings were divested and foreign investment was sought to updatefarming methods and help develop newproduct lines, or "nontraditional exports."
Agro21 was established in 1983 tospearhead the new agriculture policies,and aimed to put 80,000 hectares of idleland into the hands of the private sector.
It was during the period of the 1980sthat the government started the trade liberation policy, in keeping with the UnitedStates, IMF and World Bank conditionality for loans and grant support.
Government subsidies on fertilizer,feeds and other farm inputs were significantly removed, while farmers were exposed to unfair competitions fromimported farm foods.
The 1990s could be described as theworst period for Jamaican agriculture, asit was during this period that the government liberalized trade and removed mostimports restrictions.
Those policies did not help local production, as the market was flooded withsubsidized meat, milk and vegetables.
It was not until the start of 2000s thatgovernment start to take action to modifythe policy to restrict imports. But, wecannot blame the government alone forimplementing bad farm policies.
Our farm leaders were also responsible as, in most cases, they did not showany form of serious objection, as it wouldhave affected their relationship with theirrespective political parties and government ministers. In some cases, farm andother business leaders also benefited personally from cheap farm imports and divested lands.
On December 29, 2011, Jamaicanswill be going to the polls to elect a newgovernment. Farmers should use the opportunity to influence the process by supporting those candidates that support theinterest of farmers. This could be difficult,as a candidate may be a strong farm advocate but his or her party leadership failto comply.
We are therefore urging farmers toget updated on the issues in agricultureand vote for those candidates that supportagriculture and local food production.
by
PATRICK MAITLANDPublisher The [email protected]
The opinions expressed in this newspaper, except for the above, do not necessarily reflect the views of The Agriculturalist and its publishers. Please send your comments or suggestionsto [email protected]. Responses should be no longer than 400 words. Not all articles will be published.
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Vote for Candidates Who Support Agriculture!
Publisher: Patrick Maitland
Admin/Advertising Director:Susan Wissant
Advertising Executives:Nordia Paul; Bernadette Kerr
Consulting Editors: Vincent Wright, Jairzenho Bailey
Produced & Published by:Agri Life FoundationAMC Complex,
188 Spanish Town Road,Kingston 11, Jamaica, W.I.Tel: (876) 9237471• 9237428Fax: (876) 9237428
[email protected]@theagriculturalist.comwww.theagriculturalist.com
PPEEOOPPLLEE AARREETTAALLKKIINNGG.... ..!!
SSeenndd ccoommmmeennttss ttoo::
eeddiittoorr@@tthheeaaggrriiccuull ttuurraalliisstt..ccoomm
Tomato grownfrom the wall
of houseThis is a copy of tomato grown from thiswall of house where I oversee and live.Quite likely there could be a hole abovethe plant came out of the wall very smalland gradually increase in size. I tie it asit grows. I put no fertilizer nothing but rain thatwet the out plant a bit run down on thewall.How seed get into wall can’t say andhow long it was there for. Possibly Ratcarry the seed. Photo shown 2 ripe tomatoes and it hold 3 size tomatoes andyoung ones. The house is white lime onmall as appear.
O. MessamMount Pleasant, Balaclava
St. ElizabethCell: 5063643
The Agri Pages 36:The Agri page 12 12/20/11 2:03 PM Page 1
44 • THE AGRICULTURALIST • AUGUST 2011 WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM
NEWS
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FARM TRACTOR: Agriculture Minister Robert Montague (2nd l) inspects a handoperated tractor supplied under the ALBA Alimentos Input SuppliesProject. The equipment was on display at a ceremony held on Tuesday (December 6) at Hope Gardens, Kingston 6. Also in photoJonathan Roye of Machines and Parts Export LLC (Mapex), distributors of the tractor (1st l); Novell Quest, RADA Chairman (3rd l);Richard Powell, president/CEO of Mapex (4th l); Donovan Stanberry, Permanent secretary ministry of Agriculture and Josh Nelson,principal, Knockalva Agricultural School.
The Agri Pages 36:The Agri page 12 12/20/11 2:03 PM Page 2
CChhrriissttmmaass GGrreeeettiinnggaanndd BBeesstt WWiisshheess
Sugar IndustrySuffering
From IllicitCane Fires
Over 8,000 tonnes of sugarcane on three estates have
been burnt illicitly.The local sugar industry contin
ues to reel from the destruction ofcane fields due to illicit burning.PanCaribbean Sugar Company,
which acquired some of the stateowned factories says the problemis affecting fields in Westmoreland, Clarendon and St. Catherineand is threatening the livelihoodof thousands of persons as well asthe stability of communities.In a notice in the press, the com
pany said 8,500 tonnes of sugarcane on three estates have beenburnt illicitly in addition to rootlosses amounting to US$2 million.In the meantime, Allan
Rickards, Chairman of theAllIsland Jamaica Cane FarmersAssociation, says he is not convincedthat the Government is doingenough to address the problem.
WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM DECEMBER 2011 • THE AGRICULTURALIST • 5
NEWS
He noted how import restrictions in both Russia andChina were resulting in ‘ahuge backlog of supplies’,including ‘a huge accumulation of dark (chicken) meat’,with American exportershaving opted to dispose ofthis accumulated surplus ‘inits own backyard, theCaribbean’. Until 2008 Russia was the world’s largestpoultry importer, however,imports have been severelycurtailed since then.In 2011, imports are ex
pected to fall a further 30%compared to 2010, takingimport levels down to onlyonethird of those prevailingin 2008.The situation in the
Caribbean is of course compounded by its ‘unfortunateposition of being located between Brazil to the southand the United states to thenorth who are the twolargest exporters of poultryproducts in the world’. Inthis context, DrAli said ‘theindustry in the Caribbeannow has to look for ways todeal with the cheap importsfrom the USA’. In theCaribbean, ‘the poultry sector is one of the largest subsectors in agriculturegenerating about US $650million in sales annually’.As part of the response to
the threat from US importsand rising and volatileglobal cereals prices, theCPA is seeking to developregional production andtrade in poultry feed.
It has been estimated thatthe ‘region’s poultry feed requirements … could be produced on 100,000 hectares’,with such land available inBelize and Guyana.In June 2011 on the
fringes of CPA meetings inBelize, discussions wereheld between CPA boardmembers, the Belize CornCouncil, concerned port authorities and logistical service suppliers.Apilot shipment of 10,000
tonnes of feed maize is nowscheduled to be delivered tothe Jamaican poultry industry in 2012.The experience of the Be
lize poultry sector, which inthe 1990s began to developintegrated poultry production (producing feed crops,establishing feed mills andsmallscale integrated poultry production and processing units) is illustrative ofthe potential for development of the poultry sectoracross the Caribbean region.‘Belize is now self suffi
cient in broiler meat, tableeggs, turkey meat and hatching eggs for broilers andabout 80% for layers’. Theconcerted action of the organised Belize Poultry Association in dealing with thegovernment on the issue ofimports has been noted bythe regional CPA, and a programme of action for engaging with regional andnational authorities is beingdeveloped.
PoultryProducers
Concern aboutUSA Imports
““WWee DDiidd IItt”” (lr) Fisheries offices in the MoAF,TaChala Beecherand Farrah Hanselalong with Directorfor the AquacultureBranch, Avery GalbraithSmikle tooksome time to showthe certificatesthey received aftersuccessfully completing a fourdayACP Fish IIProgramme Network training heldrecently inKingston.
According to Dr Desmond Ali, Executive Director ofthe Caribbean Poultry Association (CPA), the re
gion’s poultry industry is ‘under threat because of thehuge amount of imports mainly from the USA’.
The Agri Pages 36:The Agri page 12 12/20/11 2:04 PM Page 3
Grant heads MOA Praedial
Larceny ProgramReginald Grant, retired assistant Commissionerof Police (ACP) is the new praedial larcenyprevention coordinator. His appointment,which took effect on Tuesday, December 6,comes more than seven months after retired Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) officer LieutenantColonel Paul Dunn quit the post in April.
66 • THE AGRICULTURALIST • DECEMBER 2011 WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM
CCAAKKEE FFOORR TTHHEE MMIINNIISSTTEERR::Agriculture Minister Robert Montague ( 5th l) assists a 4H Clubbite to cut a cake on display at the Eat Jamaican held at Denbigh Showgrounds recently. Also in photo JAS vicepresident, Norman Grant (1st l), JAS president, Glendon Harris (9th l) andnational farm queen, SharnaGay Brown (1st r).
‘To Make The Best Better’
Providing Training For TheNation's Youths (Age 525)Creating Better Leaders For Tomorrow
The Agri Pages 36:The Agri page 12 12/20/11 7:13 PM Page 4
JAMAICA 4H CLUB FOCUS
THE JAMAICA 4H CLUBS
THE JAMAICA 4H CLUBS95 Old Hope Road, Kingston 6, Jamaica WI
Tel: 92740502 • Fax: 9783209Email: [email protected]• Website: www.jamaica4hclubs.com
WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM DECEMBER 2011 • THE AGRICULTURALIST • 7
EGAP Enterprise Ltd “eckogap” recenlty announced the launch of twoof seven new and unique Kelp (Sea
weed) ProductsEcklonia Kelp Plant Stimulant and KelPlus Anchovy Fish EmulsionFertilizer.The Kelp products was developed using aunique patented cell burst technology, including ultra high frequency sound and ultraviolet light technology.The differences with our Products, asagainst other fertilizer companies, are ourMechanical CellShear Process technology,how we formulate and produce our products. Our process avoids heat, dehydration,chemical digestion, and freezing of the rawmaterial.The resulting product contains and retainsall the compounds found in fresh, naturalkelp, in a viable, biologically active form.We are very excited by their ability to:•Increase root mass, vegetation growthand flowering;•Improve plant’s tolerance to heat, making them drought resistant;•Increase natural resistance to insects andfungal attacks;•Lower NPK and Higher Yields whencompare with other fertilizers with higherNPK;•Make the Environment and Earth ahealthier place;These products can be purchased in farmstores islandwide, like Spanish Town FarmStore; Gateway Farm Store, Old Harbour;Yallahs Agriculture Supplies; St. ThomasFarm Store; Carib Agro Distributors storesislandwide; Green Island Hardware’s,Hanover; J.A.S regional offices islandwideand small farm stores islandwide.They are certified as 100% Organic andmay be used on all crops or plants regardless of the varied climate or soil condition.They have a proven yield potential of 2040% above the normal yields on all crops, andon some crops up to 70%. Farmers will benefit immensely from these products whichwill, in turn, help the consumers, environment and the economy.The products have been tested on manycrops, in all the parishes, and are currentlybeing tested to resolve the greening bacteriafound in citrus plants throughout Jamaica.While these products are not repellants, wehave seen tests in other countries wherethey have eradicated or minimized bacteria,fungus, and insects, allowing the plants togrow and produce above average yields.The various tests done locally, thus far,have concurred with the facts and data fromother countries. One example; tests at theMavis Bank Coffee Factory have shown 9598%, A Grade, using Ecklonia Kelp andKelPlus have eradicate the Coffee berryborer.This and many other insects, funguses andbacteria the Kelp products have eradicated,prevent or minimize them from affectingcrops (natural pest control program). Therefore, if we want to enhance our food production while protecting our environment,
then the Kelp products are the only naturaland clean working solution. Our productsare not only stimulants and fertilizers butthey act like repellants. Most people articulate what we do “we are suppliers of organicproducts etc…." That may be true, but why
we do it is to help our farmers, landscapers,and horticulturalists increase productionwhile cutting their costs. Making farmersand consumers lives better is our ultimategoal. That is why we have invested products, time and money in educating farmers
and working on projects in schools andcommunities.Therefore let’s “Grow and Eat Organically” for a better and healthier lifestyle –“eckogap” is the way. www.eckogap.com
Contributed
NEWS
EGAP releases excitingand innovative new products
Kelp (Seaweed) ProductsEcklonia Kelp Plant Stimulant and KelPlus Anchovy Fish Emulsion Fertilizer.
PRODUCTS TALK:Roy Page president and CEO of EGAP Enterprise Ltd (l) talks about the Kelp products to Agriculture MinisterRobert Montague (2nd r) along with National Farm Queen 2011, SharnaGaye Brown (3rd l); JAS president, Glendon Harris (4th l) and vicepresident Norman Grant at the recent “Eat Jamaican Day” celebration held at Denbighshowgrounds, Clarendon.
88 • THE AGRICULTURALIST • SEPTEMBER 2011 WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM
Reprinted From the 2011 Manifesto of The Jamaica Labour Party
Since 2007, the agriculture sector has experienced consistent growth except for periods of adverse weather. The average growth indomestic food production over the last 4 yearperiod is 17%. The most compelling priorities for agriculture are raising the level of productivity,through the use of technology and improvedfarming practices and providing better accessto markets. The Jamaica Labour Party is committed to: • Aggressively promoting the use of proventechnology (e.g. green house, hydroponics, tissue culture etc.) to increase yield, improvequality and rationalize the use of scarce water.• Providing training and technical support toensure that farmers master the application ofnew technologies.
A Better Extension of ServicesRestoring and expanding agricultural extension services which have been severely depleted, to ensure the effective transfer oftechnology and application of modern practice.In 2007, the ratio of farmers to extension officers was 3000:1. Through the restructuring ofRADA, there was a doubling of the number ofextension officers. The ratio now stands at approximately 1,500 farmers to 1 extension officer.
Improved Pest and Disease ControlImproving the capabilities for pest and diseasecontrol by stricter quarantine procedures, andspeedier detection and corrective practices.
Promotion of Organic FarmingProviding technical and financial support fororganic farming, to exploit the growing international market for organically producedfoods, supported by the introduction of an or
ganic farming policy.
Promotion of Exotic Crops:Promoting the cultivation and export marketing of exotic crops including pimento, nutmegand tumeric, along with medicinal and culinaryherbs and spices, in a strategic programme integrated with the Brand Jamaica Campaign.Development of a Cold Chain through theProvision of Refrigeration Facilities; Establishing strategically located refrigeration facilities, to extend the shelf life of farmers’produce and improve marketing possibilities.
Improved Market IntelligenceImproving the gathering and timely dissemination of marketing information to providefarmers with the best options for marketingtheir produce.
Improved Selection, Grading and Packaging Practices
Providing training for farmers in proper selection, grading and packaging practices, to moreeffectively synchronize farm production withmarket requirements.
Incentives for AgroProcessorsProviding incentives for agroprocessors to extend the market for agricultural produce andprovide greater predictability and price stability for farmers.
Affordable Loans for FarmersContinuing to increase the availability of lowinterest loans to farmers through the People'sCooperative (PC) banks, to ensure that they are
able to meet the required capital investmentsto adopt new technologies.
Land Titling ProcessLAMP and LAND Programmes
• Amending the Registration of Titles Act tosimplify the registration of untitled land, wherethe claimant has been in possession for a specified minimum period of time, where ownership is not in dispute and can be confirmed byevidence.• Establishing community land tribunals toconsider applications for registration and, afteradequate public notification, to conduct hearings and, if satisfied that the right of ownershiphas been established, to issue a certificate ofownership.
Irrigation ExpansionImproving existing and establishing new irrigation schemes to increase the acreage of landavailable for highproductivity farming.• Development of Irrigation Schemes throughNational Irrigation Master Development Plan(NIDP)• 486 hectares of land has been brought underirrigation at Hounslow, and 214.6 hectares arenow in production, as a result of the rehabilitation of the Hounslow system.
Protection and Strengthening of the Livestock Sector
• Instituting measures to protect and expandthe livestock sector and to improve productivity with a view to capturing a greater share ofthe domestic market.• Providing the necessary protection to milkproducers to mitigate the effects of subsidizedimported milk solids. This is to be monitoredby the Jamaica Dairy Development Board.
Expansion of AquacultureExpanding the aquaculture industry, especiallyfor the export market, and promoting the production of new species to replicate the successachieved with the tilapia.
Improved Management of Marine FishingEstablishing a comprehensive programme toimprove the management of the marine fishingindustry including:• More vigilant efforts to stem illegal fishingin Jamaican waters.• Careful monitoring of our fish population andstricter control measures to prevent overfishing and the depletion of fish stock by regulating the size and weight of fish that can beharvested.• Implementation of an environmental programme to stop the pollution of our sea waterand the use of dynamite and chemicals to reapfish, and to reverse the damage being done toour fish nurseries and coral reefs.
Intensifying Efforts to Combat Praedial Larceny
Reorganizing, retraining, equipping and redeploying district constables, to be a more effective force in combating praedial larceny. Thereis ongoing dialogue with stakeholders to refineplans to enforce traceability of possession.
• Redevelopment of the rice industry – thisprogramme was launched in September 2009as part of the Food Security and Import Substitution Programme. The target is to replace25,000 tonnes (25%) of rice imports in the future.
• Establishment of the Agricultural Development Fund (ADF) to Facilitate AgriculturalDevelopment. This fund will have a target of$120 million annually and will be used in funding initiatives that will either modernize or develop the industry.
JAMAICA ELECTIONS FEATURE The JLP Launches the ‘New Agricultural Revolution’
WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM DECEMBER 2011 • THE AGRICULTURALIST • 99
Reprinted From the 2011 Manifesto of The People’s National PartyWhilst it is the intention of the PNP
Administration to diversify theeconomy at a faster pace, by ex
ploiting the opportunities a forded in “new”sectors such as ICT, there is no question thatagriculture will remain one of the main planksof the national economy. However, the socioeconomic development
of rural Jamaica is inextricably linked to thegrowth and modernisation of the agriculturalsector. In this regard, the next PNP Administration will focus greater attention on increased food security.The Administration will focus on the fol
lowing:1. Development of starch derived from roots
and tubers to support the carbohydrate requirement of the nation. This support will promote the expansion of production of sweetand irish potatoes, cassava, yam and bananasthrough incentives such as the supply of inputs, extension service and research. An objective of this programme is the production offlour from these products which could bemixed with imported wheat in the productionof a variety of products. The Administration will take the lead by
mandating the involvement of the schoolfeeding programme as well as other state institutions such as hospitals and prisons.2. The development and expansion of herbs
such as mint and cerasee, which are used inthe expanding tea manufacturing subsector,which now sources herbs extraregionally. Jamaica has the potential to produce in quantities to satisfy the needs of CARICOM.3. Resuscitation of the fruit tree crop pro
gramme under which government providesseedlings, loans and grants for land preparation to qualified farmers.4. The orientation of investment promotion
activities to exploit the potential of the exportof roots, tubers, herbs, spices and fresh vegetables. This could be facilitated by the promotion of strategic partnerships withwholesale and retail outlets in North Americaand Europe with producers in Jamaica.5. The Administration through RADA, will:
i. Organise farmers to produce for export atthe requisite quality and consistency, throughthe provision of proper technical advisoryservices.ii. Collaborate with the major retail chains
to partner with farmers.iii. Continue the construction of ‘packing
houses’ and offer these to interested investorswho are willing to contract with farmers.6. Develop farmsteads for young graduates
of agricultural institutions.
These farmsteads would comprise a starterhousing unit on 510 acres equipped with irrigation and other infrastructure necessary formodern farming activities. The production onthe farmsteads would be driven by availablemarkets which the government will assist theyoung farmers to identify.7. Continue the implementation of the Na
tional Irrigation Development Plan (NIDP)which was formulated and approved by Cabinet in 1998. This is critical to combating theimpact of climate change and overcomingmarginal productivity associated with rainfedagriculture. 8. Promulgation of policy positions as fol
lows:i) A National Food Security Policy consistentwith the Food and Agriculture Organization(FAO) guidelines that focus on:• Food availability • Food accessibility• Food Safety • Effective Utilisation and Consumption • Stabilityii) A National Fisheries Policy• Resuscitating inland fisheries• Legislation to eliminate poaching• Revisit importation policyiii) A Policy on Apicultureiv) A Policy on Nutraceuticalsv) Policy on GeneticallyModified Foods• Public awareness of safety factorvi) Policy on Nutrition of Children in Pub
lic Schools, to improve dietary offerings andmaking use of local produce and products.9. Finalise the Praedial Larceny Prevention
Programme.10. Develop and implement a strategic pro
gramme to, resuscitating conserve and facilitate the orderly development of a viableruminant Livestock Sector.
LandThe issue of land titling will be given greaterfocus to encourage more land owners to secure titles for their properties, and therebystimulate more productive use. Several strategies have been used, under the Land Administration Management Programme (LAMP) toinfluence land titling; however, the responseto it has been slow. The new PNP Administration will continue to foster the progressiveagenda for land titling, through ongoing education programmes; and direct interventionsat the community level, as well as to streamline the actual process..
JAMAICA ELECTIONS FEATURE The PNP’s ‘Agriculture and Rural Development’ Plans
The mission of Agri Life Foundation is to enhance the social and economic wellbeing of farmers as well as to build awareness, understanding and a positive public
perception of agriculture and the environment.
Patrick Maitland, Agri Life Foundation188 Spanish town Road, Kingston 11, Jamaica WITel: 9237471; 9237428 • [email protected]
1100 • THE AGRICULTURALIST • DECEMBER 2011 WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM
WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM DECEMBER 2011 • THE AGRICULTURALIST • 11
•• Environmentally Friendly Pest Control Measures:Controlling the Berry Borer with the Rustic Traps Reemphasizing Stripping
• Helps to minimize the negative impact to the fragile ecosystem of the Blue Mountains.
•• Increased production and highquality berries
•• Major reduction in pest control cost
For further information contact:
Advisory Services UnitCoffee Industry BoardWillie Henry Drive, Kingston 15
7583903 or 7581259
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The US is to cut its estimate for corn exports to the lowest in 14 years, and lowerhopes for soybean shipments too, to reflectthe country's emergence as "an island of highprices" for many crops.The US Department of Agriculture's December Wasde reports, of which the latestedition is due later on Friday, are typicallyviewed as among the less exciting of the flagship series of reports, making no changes historically to data on US crop area, yield orproduction.And this time, the consensus view is for areport which makes little change to US grainsdata, with the estimate for wheat stocks at theclose of 201112 expected to see a 2mbushelrise, and for corn inventories seen likely to betrimmed by 12m bushels to 831m bushels."No significant changes are expected to thecorn balance sheets," Luke Mathews at Com
monwealth Bank of Australia said.Don Roose, president of US Commodities,said there was a risk of the report being overshadowed by a toplevel European meetingto discuss the eurozone crisis, saying the "realconcerns is what is happening with the worldright now".However, weeks of disappointing US cornexport data – before a solid 708,000tonnefigure, old crop and new combined, releasedon Thursday – have raised ideas that USDAstatisticians could cut their forecast for fullseason shipments, meaning higher suppliesof the grain at the close of 201112.Range of forecasts: 712m899m bushelsUS sales commitments of some 22m tonnesare down 3% year on year, and even furtherbehind the 20062010 average of more than24m tonnes, according to Australia & NewZealand Bank data.
(CNN)
The world's chocolate makers may specialize in delivering a sweet taste butthe government of the Ivory Coast is seeking to address what it sees as the bitter treatment of the farmers who grow the industry'sraw materials.The West African nation was the world'sbiggest cocoa producer which is the mainingredient in chocolate between 2009 and2010, rearing some 1.19 million tons of thecrop according to the International CocoaOrganization (ICCO).
Thanks to a mixture of price volatility, internal instability within the Ivory Coast anda lack of protection from speculators however, an ever smaller portion of the billionsof dollars of annual revenue the industrycreates finds its way back to the country'sfarmers.While this set up may benefit cocoa buyers and chocolate companies, non profitssuch as the International Cocoa Initiative(ICI) have claimed that it forces farmers topay low wages and encourages exploitativepractices such as child labor.
An Idaho company will operate a newfactory to manufacture a type of fertil
izer that will be less useful in makingbombs, the product’s inventor, Honeywell,announced on Friday.Bombs made from ordinary fertilizer havebeen used around the world. They destroyedthe Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building inOklahoma City in 1995 and damaged theWorld Trade Center in 1993. Most recently,fertilizer bombs have been used againstUnited States forces in Iraq andAfghanistan, and fertilizer is suspected tobe a component of a fatal bomb used at agovernment center in Oslo in July.Honeywell, based in Morris Township,N.J., patented the new fertilizer in 2008. Itcombines the traditional ammonium nitratewith ammonium sulfate, significantly reducing its ability to explode. But so far, thefertilizer has not been manufactured.Honeywell announced Friday that it hadsigned an agreement with J. R. Simplot,based in Boise, to build a factory at a Simplot plant in Lathrop, Calif. Honeywell willown the factory, but Simplot will operate itand have exclusive rights to sell the fertilizer in western North America and northernMexico.
Sulfur is already widely used on fields inthe West to lower the pH level, but not ineastern areas, some of which are already tooacidic. However, Honeywell said, the newfertilizer is superior because it releases itsnitrogen over a longer period.Honeywell is already a large producer ofammonium sulfate fertilizer.Murat Bicak, the business director for theproduct at Honeywell Specialty Materials,said, “We expect that its cost will run at aslight premium to common nitratebasedfertilizers based on its unique attributes, including safety and effectiveness.”The company did not say how much itthought would be manufactured, but Mr.Bicak added, “We continue to have dialogue with regulators about current and proposed regulation and how our technologycan be used to reduce the threat of fertilizerbased explosive devices.”The new fertilizer was tested independently “with guidance from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Bureauof Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives,” according to Honeywell.Switching to the new fertilizer could relieve farmers of some requirements to safeguard their fertilizer stockpiles.
INTERNATIONAL NEWSUS 'to cut corn exportestimate to 14year low'
Ivory Coast seeks chocolatefairness for farmers
Plant to Make FertilizerThat Eases a Threat
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PESTICIDE GUIDEYou must Read the Labels!
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Feeding Your DogYour dog should be fed by the same personat each feeding. Apply this rule with common sense. This may not be so important ifyour household has two dogs and you andyour wife trade off feeding duties. This ruleis particularly important in veterinary settingand boarding kennels where there may be alarge number of dogs being fed by differentstaff. Under these conditions, changing thefeeder could lead to an upset of eating behavior in a dog.
Tip Number 2A dog should haveits own separatebowl both forfeeding and forwater. This is important from theperspective of dogbehavior psychology and also formaintaining goodhygiene.
Tip Number 3Never change the place where you feed yourdog, or if unavoidable, change the feedinglocation as infrequently as possible. It is farless important where you choose to feed youdog as it is to keep the location the same.The constancy and predictability of feedingtime and location is essential to your dogssense of well being and security. To needlessly change disrupts your dogs confidenceand overall feeling of well being. This, inturn, can lead to anxiety and possible behavior problems.
Tip Number 4Never change your dog's food without asound reason. Dogs, unlike humans, reallydo not need a change of diet. Dogs can getalong very well eating the same diet day inand day out. If you are feeding your dog anutritionally correct diet, your dog will lookforward to its food day in and day out. Infact, a sign of nutritionally deficient dogfood is that your dog will lose interest in eating. As long as you are feeding your dog ahealthy diet, it will not tire of its diet.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com
Agri Life Foundation has been established as a nonprofit organization to foster and encourage farmers to become more selfsufficient and competitive in a freemarket economy. One of the main ways that the Foundation will achieve these
goals is through collaboration, professional support and advisory from experts in thefield. Such collaboration will provide a platform where individuals from academia,
business, government, and the farming community can share researchbased information and technology regarding environmentally sound management
and profitable agricultural production practices.
MISSION STATEMENTThe mission of Agri Life Foundation is to enhance the social and economic well being of farmers as well as to build awareness, understanding and a
positive public perception of agriculture and the environment. • The publication of The Agriculturalist Newspaper with agricultural news, views, technologies as well as sustainable and environmentalfriendly farming practices.
• The publication of The Tropical Farmers’ Almanac –an annual guide with technical agricultural information and environmentalfriendly farming practices for farmers.
• The provision of educational and training opportunities for farmers.
• The provision of direct relief assistance to farmers in need of food, shelter and medical assistance.
• The support of urban farming, food security, nutrition and health (also in relation to HIVAIDS)
• The provision of direct financial and technical support to women, young farmers and othereconomically challenged food producers.
• The provision of financial support for students and young farmers pursuing studies in agricultural and environmental studies.
• The development and organization of farmertofarmer, agricultural student exchange and farmer mentoring programs.
• Collaboration with both Government and nongovernment agencies in order to improve the economic condition and livelihood of farm producers, their families and rural communities.
• The promotion of modern and appropriate technologies in food production.
For further information:Patrick Maitland,
Executive Chairman, Agri Life Foundation
188 Spanish Town Road, Kingston 11, Jamaica WITel: 9237471; 9237428 • [email protected]
www.agrilifefoundation.org
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Jamaican Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal
10 Winchester Rd,Kingston 10
Tel: (876) 9290320: Fax: (876) 754[email protected];
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