The Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) is urging farmers to be on the lookout for pests following recent heavy rains. Speaking in a recent interview with JIS News, Senior Plant Health and Food Safety Officer, Francine Webb, said farmers should increase their scouting practices to be able to quickly detect any resurgence in the population. The use of traps is...

The Agricultural Land Management Division (ALMD) is encouraging farmers to increase sustainable soil management practices, in an effort to improve soil health. The call comes ahead of World Soil Day, which will be observed on Thursday, December 5, under the theme ‘Caring for Soils: Measure, Monitor, Manage’. This observance serves to raise global awareness about the critical importance of healthy...

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green, says the Government will assist dairy farmers to significantly improve their output, through a $20-million Equipment Lease Programme. Speaking at the launch of the Dairy Livestock Innovation, Nutrition, Knowledge Programme (D-LINK), at the Knockalva Polytechnic College in Hanover on November 28, the Minister said the programme is designed to alleviate the...

The ‘Eat Jamaican Global Campaign’ is to be expanded into targeted markets within the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom (UK), as the Government seeks to promote the consumption of authentic Jamaican food produce worldwide. Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green told JIS News at the Eat Jamaican Month Cook Off and Farmers Market held on...

The Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) is appealing to farmers of turmeric, ginger and pimento to engage with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food for Progress Jamaica Spices (JaSPICE) project, to improve their crop production. The project, being implemented over a five-year period, is now in its ‘extension’ phase where research into new and improved farming practices is transferred...

Within a few weeks, the new Plant Health Act will go to Cabinet and should be laid before Parliament by the end of the financial year, says Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green. The legislation, which will replace the Plants (Quarantine) Act, will be consistent with modern phytosanitary best practices and ensure Jamaica's conformity with its international...

The Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) projects that the agriculture industry will return to growth in the first half of fiscal year 2025/26. This follows a decline in the July to September 2024 quarter due to the impact of Hurricane Beryl and other weather events, which will linger into October to December. “Some crops, impacted by weather events, which continued...