The Agriculture Department is laying the groundwork to expand production of tropical fruits, vegetables, local honey and local meats, Commissioner Louis Petersen and top department officials told the Senate Finance Committee during budget hearings Wednesday in Frederiksted.
The department is doing this by building water storage and distribution systems, helping the V.I. Farmer’s Cooperative establish a 60-acre farm in St. Croix’s Estate Grange and training farmers in beekeeping and other farm based businesses, Petersen said.
"Beekeeping is one of the fastest growing farm enterprises in the territory," he said, giving the committee a bottle of fresh local honey. Working with the University of the Virgin Islands and other partners, the department will have trained 72 new beekeepers once classes are finished, said Petersen.
"We anticipate this increase in beekeepers will translate into increase yields, over time," he said.
Agriculture’s budget request includes $3.4 million from the general fund, which will pay for most of the day-to-day operations of the department. That is a four percent reduction from last year’s appropriation.
Gov. John deJongh Jr. has recommended another $1 million appropriation from the miscellaneous section of the budget, half of which is dedicated to promoting sustainable agriculture under the provisions of the V.I. Sustainable Agriculture Act of 2006 and the remainder divided between a variety of veterinary and animal control programs. Taking all revenue sources together, the department is anticipating a total budget of $4.8 million.
Sen. Terrence "Positive" Nelson asked what it would take to get a daily farmer’s market open. By far the biggest market right now is Saturday morning at St. Croix’s Estate La Reine, with a smaller Saturday market at St. Croix’s Beeston Hill. No farmer’s markets anywhere in the Virgin Islands are open daily, although some small St. Croix roadside stands offer a handful of selections during the week.
"The basic answer … is to raise the level of production," Petersen said. "Infrastructure is one factor affecting growth. Generally speaking, by infrastructure I am referring to water storage and distribution."
To that end, the department has erected a large water tank donated by the Water and Power Authority. The tank is located by the department’s Common Gardens near Frederiksted. A three million gallon water storage pond will be put in at the site, improving water availability to some farmers, he said.
More training of farmers in scientific methods of agriculture and in running a farm as a business are important too, as are efforts to market local produce in the schools, to restaurants and elsewhere, Petersen said.