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The Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) and telecommunications giant, Digicel, on Monday, May 20, signed a $30 million contract to provide support for the Denbigh Agricultural Industrial and Food Show over the next three years. Speaking at the signing event held at Digicel’s downtown Kingston headquarters, JAS President, Senator Norman Grant, commended the company on the partnership, which started 12 years...

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries is to partner with the University of Technology (UTech), to explore measures that can be implemented to effectively reduce the incidence of praedial larceny in the agricultural sector. Speaking at the St. Andrew Rotary Club’s weekly luncheon, held at the Four Seasons Hotel, on May 14, Portfolio Minister, Hon. Roger Clarke, said UTech has...

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries is to receive assistance from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University in the United States, to develop the research capacity of the local agricultural sector. Portfolio Minister, Hon. Roger Clarke, who made the disclosure on May 14, informed that a delegation from the university, located in Tallahassee, is currently in the island meeting several stakeholders...

Several statutes, which have not been adhered to over the years, will be put into force as the Agriculture and Fisheries Ministry continues its drive to crack down on farm thieves. This includes a permit system for the slaughter of animals and stipulations as to when a person can carry out such activities. This was announced at a post-Sectoral Debate...

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, on Thursday, May 9, signed an agreement with Caribbean Broilers to immediately put 800 acres of land into sorghum production, at Amity Hall in St. Catherine. Planting began on Thursday under the project, which is among the first initiatives being undertaken in the establishment of the Ministry’s flagship Agro Parks concept. Speaking at the...

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries will be stepping up inspections at retail outlets, as it strengthens tracking systems to bolster the fight against praedial larceny/farm theft. “This year we are moving to put greater emphasis on monitoring end-users…we are not convinced that the thieves can dispose of stolen goods, particularly livestock, without the collaboration of large buyers/distributors,” Minister of...

Significant work is in progress under the Government’s agro park project, with some 3,237 hectares (8,000 acres) of land already engaged in the production of a number of critical crops. The parks are situated in Plantain Gardens and Yallahs, St. Thomas; Amity Hall and Hill Run, St. Catherine; Ebony Park and Spring Plain in Clarendon; New Forest/Duff House, St Elizabeth/Manchester;...

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Roger Clarke, is reporting that the 14 fish sanctuaries that have been established across the island are already resulting in increased fish stock and size. Mr. Clarke made the announcement in his contribution to the 2013/14 Sectoral Debate on Wednesday, May 8, in the House of Representatives. The Ministry has spent some $40.4 million...

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries is to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with a number of tertiary institutions to formulate a joint research programme, to address critical challenges in the agricultural sector. The institutions are: University of the West Indies (UWI); University of Technology (UTech); Northern Caribbean University (NCU), and the College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE)....

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Roger Clarke, has asked the Bureau of Standards Jamaica to work with the relevant agencies to formulate a comprehensive set of standards for key food items. This, Mr. Clarke says, arises from concerns about the quality of foods Jamaicans are consuming. "The level of sodium in some of our imported foods is frightening. The...

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Roger Clarke, on Wednesday, May 8, outlined a number of initiatives which have been advanced by the government to provide more efficient and effective service to the agricultural sector. Mr. Clarke, who was making his contribution to the 2013/14 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives, informed that significant work was undertaken to rationalize...

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Roger Clarke, has welcomed the $350 million investment by the Jamaica Broilers Group into its new Best Dressed Further Processing Facility at Spring Village, St. Catherine. The Minister, who toured the facility Wednesday, May 8, accompanied by Industry, Investment and Commerce Minister, Hon. Anthony Hylton and Members of Parliament, Dr. Andrew Wheatley and Everard...