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Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Audley Shaw (right), joins Virtudes Company Limited’s Chief Operating Officer, Farrah Zaragan (left), and the company's Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Jamiel Jamieson, in breaking ground for the Virtudes Hemp Farm in Lennox Bigwoods, Westmoreland, on Thursday (November 21).

Minister Shaw Breaks Ground for Hemp Farm in Westmoreland

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Audley Shaw, on Thursday (November 21), broke ground for a 113-acre hemp farm in Lennox Bigwoods, Westmoreland. Virtudes Company Limited, a wellness company, is behind the US$1-million investment. The company has received...

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Audley Shaw (left), shares a light moment with (from second left) Chairperson, NCB Foundation, Thalia Lyn; College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE) students Jovan Thompson and Chenille Humes; and Chairman of the Economic Growth Council (EGC), Michael Lee-Chin. Occasion was a media briefing at the Ministry’s St. Lucia Avenue office in New Kingston on Wednesday (November 20), to provide details about an 11-month agricultural training programme in Israel for 15 students of CASE.

15 Case Students To Study Agriculture In Israel

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson (left) and Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dermon Spence (right), hold a box of mangoes that was among the first batch to be exported to the United States in June, at the Sangster International Airport Export Complex in Montego Bay, St. James. At centre is Manager of the complex, Dalton Hastings.

Registered Farmers Reap Success With Export Of Mangoes

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Audley Shaw.

Farmers To Benefit From Tourism Boom

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson (right), serves breakfast, which he prepared, to student of Holland Primary School in St. Elizabeth, Janessa Clarke, during the Eat Jamaican School Tour at the institution on Friday (November 15).

School Breakfast Programme Being Revitalized in St. Elizabeth

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Audley Shaw, addresses guests during the official signing of a hotel management agreement between the Amaterra Jamaica Group and Marriott International, at the Hard Rock Café in St. James on Wednesday (November 13).

6 years ago Agriculture

Hoteliers Encouraged To Use More Local Produce

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Audley Shaw, is encouraging hoteliers islandwide to utilise more local produce in meals prepared for their guests. He was addressing the press launch for the official signing of a hotel management agreement between the Amaterra Jamaica Group and Marriott International, at the Hard Rock Café in St. James on Wednesday (November 13)....

Senior Director in the Strategic Planning Division, Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Delroy Coley (second right), looks on as immediate past Chairman of the All-Island Cane Farmers’ Association, Allan Rickards (second left), points out the varieties of sugar cane on display. Occasion was the 70th Annual General Meeting of the Association, held on Wednesday (November 13), at the Denbigh Showground in May Pen, Clarendon. Mr. Coley represented Portfolio Minister, Hon. Audley Shaw, at the event. Others pictured from left are President of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), Lenworth Fulton; and Secretary/Manager of the All-Island Cane Farmers’ Association, Nigel Myrie.

6 years ago Agriculture

Gov’t Commits Additional $200 Million To Help Farmers Transport Sugar Cane

The Government is providing an additional $200 million for the transportation of sugar cane from Monymusk in Clarendon to the Worthy Park Estate in St. Catherine and Appleton Estate in St Elizabeth for the 2019/2020 crop season. The assurance came from Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Audley Shaw, in a speech delivered on his behalf by Senior...

Chief Technical Director in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Monique Gibbs (second right), and President, Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) Lenworth Fulton (left), discuss the importance of consuming locally grown yam and other ground provisions. Also pictured (from second left), are: Chief Executive Officer (CEO), JAS, Christopher Emanuel; and Project Manager, Lakes Pen Agri-Ventures, Victor Cummings. Occasion was the launch of ‘Eat Jamaican’ Month 2019 at the Mega Mart Wholesale Club on Upper Waterloo Road in St. Andrew on Friday (Nov. 8).

6 years ago Agriculture

Jamaicans Urged to Consume More Locally Produced Food

Jamaicans are again being urged to consume more locally produced food to aid in reducing the country’s high importation bill which stood at just over US$900 million in 2018. This renewed call comes from Chief Technical Director in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Monique Gibbs who said that simply “eating Jamaican” can have the desired impact which...

Students participating in a goat scramble during last year

6 years ago Agriculture

Preparations In High Gear For Minard Livestock And Beef Festival

Preparations are in high gear for the 20th staging of the Minard Livestock Show and Beef Festival, at the Minard Estate in Brown's Town, St Ann, on November 14. The annual event is a major showcase of beef and dairy cattle, and will see breeders, as well as farmers, parading their finest livestock. This year’s show, under the theme, ‘Empowering...

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Audley Shaw (right), listens to Acting Storage Officer, Food Storage and Prevention of Infestation Division (FSPID), Tamara Moore, at a recent open day held at the Ministry

6 years ago Agriculture

Food Storage Division Protecting Public Health

The Food Storage and Prevention of Infestation Division (FSPID) is making significant strides in protecting public health by ensuring the safety of food entering the local market. In April of this year, the Division, which is an agency of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, became the first International Standardization Organization/International Electrotechnical Commission (ISO/IEC) 17020 accredited inspection body...

St. Catherine farmer, Alfred Tenn (left); CEO of Home Grown Produce Limited, Damion Young (centre) and St. Elizabeth farmer, Melody Garwood, sign contract for the planting of more red peas, at the launch of the Red Peas Industry Programme, in Spaldings, Clarendon, on November 1. Observing are Chief Agronomist at Bodles Research Centre, Alexi Reid (left) and Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson.

6 years ago Agriculture

More Red Peas to be Planted

Farmers from St. Elizabeth and St. Catherine have signed contracts with the Chief Executive Officer of Home Grown Produce Limited, Damion Young, to supply them with the red peas they will be planting, so as to increase local output. The signing took place at the launch of the Red Peas Industry Programme, in Spaldings, Clarendon, on November 1, by Minister...

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Audley Shaw (right), listens to Animal Health Technician at the Ministry, Sharna Frater, at an Open Day staged by the Ministry’s Food Storage and Prevention of Infestation Division (FSPID), at Hope Gardens, in St. Andrew, on October 31.

6 years ago Agriculture

Active Food Safety Programme in Place – Shaw

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Audley Shaw, says Jamaica has an active food safety programme, to prevent the spread of plant and animal diseases. Delivering the keynote address at an Open Day, staged by the Ministry’s Food Storage and Prevention of Infestation Division (FSPID), at Hope Gardens, in St. Andrew, on October 31, Mr. Shaw said the...