24 Compete for National Champion Farmer Title

Some 24 farmers representing all parishes will be vying for the National Champion Farmer title, which will be awarded on Sunday, August 6 at the Presidential Pavilion at this year’s Denbigh Agricultural and Industrial Show in May Pen, Clarendon.
Speaking with JIS News, Manager of Field Services for the JAS, Sharon Leslie said that the National Champion Farmer competition began more than 50 years ago to encourage farmers to operate their farms competently. The application of strict rules on record keeping, performance, efficiency and innovativeness came later in 1966.
The competition is divided into the categories of: Best Cocoa Farmer; Best Pig Farmer; Best Banana Farmer; Best Coffee Farmer; Most Innovative Farmer; Best Farmer in ‘D’ Class (over 100 acres); Best Layout of Farm; Best Suitability of Crops; Best Livestock; Best Labour; Best Marketing; Best Tools/Equipment; Best Financing – on loan and/or self financing, use of money; and Best Records.
In order to win the competition, a contestant has to win the majority of these categories plus the Best Farmer ‘D’ Class, Miss Leslie said.
Some of the contestants are also businessmen, she explained, “The businesses were built on the back of agriculture. One contender has a hotel and he supplies his hotel with his produce.”
Prizes to be awarded to the champion include the JAS National Champion Farmer/RBTT Trophy and a grant voucher for agricultural supplies. Some 100,000 persons are expected to attend the show this year.