The Agricutlrualist Newspaper - August 2015

VOL. 25 NO. 4 • AUGUST 2015 FREE COPY WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM

Ag Boards Yield Mixed ResultsBanana Board recorded

a surplus of $77.4M The government’s chief agent for re-

search and extension, the Banana Board,recorded a surplus of $77.4 million for theyear ending Dec. 31, 2013. This representedan increase of $59 million or 320 percentover the $18.4 million recorded in the previ-

ous years. The Board achieved this surplusfrom total income of $105.5 million, includ-ing government subvention of $80.3 million,rental $12.8 million and grant of $9.4 million.Salaries and administrative expenses was$65.6 million, or 62 percent of total income.Some $322,980 was paid out to five direc-tors.

JAS net assets grew by 20%The Jamaica Agricultural Society’s

(JAS) net assets grew by 20 percent over thelast 12 years, to value $443 million at the endof the entity’s 2014/15 financial year onMarch 31. This figure, according to JASPresident, Senator Norman Grant, representsan average annual growth of approximately

1.7 percent on the asset base, which stood at$370 million in 2003. It is also $8 million ortwo per cent higher than the $435 millionrecorded in 2014.

Additionally, he said total year-on-yearinvestments improved from $32.3 million in2012, to $34.2 million last year.

Continued on page 7

By Patrick Maitland, Editor-The Agriculturalist

Several governments operated agricultural companies and organizations have been recording improved financial results, including profit/surplus, while others con-tinue to flaunt the laws with outdated and incomplete financial reports.

THE MINISTER RAPS WITH THE QUEENS:Minister of Agriculture, Labour and Social Security, Hon Derrick Kellier (front centre) and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Dono-van Stanberry (back centre) share a moment with the contestants in the 2015 National farm Queens Competition at the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries onWednesday, July 29. Minister Kellier congratulated the girls on their involvement in the competition and for their interest in agriculture and encouraged them to con-tinue to pursue this interest with zeal and enthusiasm. The National Farm Queen Competition is organized annually by the Jamaica Agricultural Society and the con-testants are chosen based on their knowledge of agriculture. They are then judged in several categories, including the knowledge of farm practices, agriculture,etiquette, a written technical paper relating to questions from current agricultural issues, and a talent piece. Coronation of the National Farm Queen will be held atthe Denbigh Agricultural, Industrial and Food Show on Friday, July 31.Turn to pages 10-15 for Denbigh feature.

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We salute and support our farmers


EDITORIAL PAGE

Jamaica is known as the land of woodand water because the island’s re-sources consist of every active limestoneand alluvial aquifers. It is also estimatedthat the island has more than 100 impor-tant rivers that provide up to 85 percentof the island’s water needs in both urbanand rural communities.

Rainfall has been another majorsource for water. Today, however, the is-land is drier than normal in some areas. Acomparison of the old 30-year-mean(1951-80) with the 1971-2000 mean bythe Meteorological Service has shownthat the island’s rainfall patterns and val-ues have not changed significantly forthe current 30-year (1971-2000) period.

The changes could be described aswetter-dry periods and drier-wet periods.This has however not affected the over-all rainfall pattern for the island. In fact,the rainfall data for 2014 was 183 mmand 2013 at 205mm compared with the202 mm 30-year normal average.

However, the forecast from the Me-teorological Service indicates that belownormal rainfall is likely to continueacross the Caribbean as a result of thepending El Niño conditions and the drierthan normal atmospheric conditions.

On the other hand, the Ministry ofWater and Climate Change also sug-gested that the “change scenarios indi-cate a decrease in rainfall of 0.52% by2030 and 18.4% by 2080.”

The so-called climate change phe-nomenal has been negatively affectingJamaica. Nevertheless, it would appearthat we are still getting reasonable rain-fall and the underground supplies are stillavailable.

The unreliable water supplies arealso affecting agricultural production andcontributing to the spread of fires on sev-eral farms.

However, if we are serious aboutfood production, we must get our act to-gether and better manage our water re-sources.

Despite its indebtedness, including$223 million owed to the Jamaica Pub-lic Services Company (JPS) and man-agement challenges over the years, theNational Irrigation Commission Limited(NIC) must be empowered to lead theprocess of efficiently harvesting and dis-tributing water to farmers.

Operating since May 1987, the NICis only supplying irrigated water to an es-timated 36,000 hectares or less than 10percent of the farmland.

Water is arguably the most criticalfactor in “enabling Jamaica’s food sup-plies.”

NIC must forge workable partner-ship with agricultural stakeholders suchas irrigation equipment suppliers and en-ergy generation companies.

Water is also life for farmers.

byPATRICK MAITLAND

Publisher -The Agriculturalist [email protected]

The opinions expressed in this newspaper, except for the above, do not necessarily reflect the views of The Agriculturalist and its publishers. Please send your com-ments or suggestions to [email protected]. Responses should be no longer than 400 words. Not all articles will be published.

Focal Point

Water is also life for farmers

Continued from page 1

Coconut Board’gross deficit was $68.5 million

The Coconut Industry Board’s grossdeficit was $68.5 million at the end of the fi-nancial year December 2014. However, theboard recorded accumulated surplus of $149million at the end period. Total income was$92.6 million, including $37.3 million frominterest and investment income, while ex-penses peaked at $161.1 million, including adeficit of $20.2 million on the operations ofthe seed gardens and nurseries. The CoconutBoard’s accumulated assets stood at $2.9 bil-lion, including shares in Seprod Limited val-ued at $2 billion.

National Irrigation Commissionincurred deficit of $180.3M

The National Irrigation Commission in-curred a deficit of $180.3 million in the fi-nancial year 2013/2014 compared with aprofit of $40.8 million in the previous year.The operating revenue from the core businessarea of water sales, drainage charges and gov-ernment subsidies for the financial year de-creased by 2.2 percent or $21.4 million whencompared with the previous year. The de-crease resulted primarily from a reduction ingovernment subvention of $27.8 millionwhich was offset by a marginal increase inthe sale of water revenue by $7 million. Thecommission’s operating cost also increasedby 23.8 percent or $182 million to $946.1million from $764.1 million in the previousyear.

Cane Farmers Association- net surplus of $14.68M

The All-Island Jamaica Cane FarmersAssociation recorded a net surplus of $14.68

million for the year ended September 30,2012. This represented a 65 percent increaseover the previous year’s figure which was re-stated at $8.89 million. The operations werefinanced primarily from a grant of $41 mil-lion from the Government of Jamaica and thefees collected from the factories on behalf ofcane farmers in the amount of $15.1 million.

The report was among several other re-ports submitted to parliament under the sig-nature of Agriculture Minister DerrickKellier and dated April 23, 2015. However,DGS Chartered Accountants and BusinessAdvisors noted that there was no actuarialvaluation done to determine information pen-sion scheme as the present value of the de-fined benefits. Additionally, due to the lackof supporting documentation, they were un-able to substantiate the pension contributionpayable for the defined contribution schemeas of Sept, 30, 2012.

Cocoa Board incurred a loss of $62.3M

The Cocoa Industry Board incurred aloss of $62.3 million during the period end-ing Sept. 30, 2013. However, this representedan improvement in the financial performanceof the Board from a loss of $96.5 million inthe previous year, according to auditors Ian& Company Accountants.

Agro-Invest makes a profit of $4.86M

The investment arm of the Ministry ofAgriculture, Agro-Invest Corporation, endedthe 2013-2014 fiscal years with a profit of$4.86 million. This represents a 138 percentincrease in net profit in comparison to theprior year’s deficit (2013, $12.96 million).

The rise may be attributed primarily toincreases in the allocation of government

grants of $72.9 million and subvention of$59.3 million as well as reduction in provi-sion for impairment $16.2 million. Despitethe heavy injection, the corporation operatedat deficit of $54.44 million resulting from a223 percent rise in expenditure on agricul-tural development projects.

SIA accounts were not suppliedThe Sugar Industry Authority (SIA) ac-

counts were not supplied. However, accord-ing to PricewaterhouseCoopers, its auditorswere unable to obtain sufficient appropriateevidence about the completeness and accu-racy of administrative expenses totally$13.79 million allocated to the Ministry ofAgriculture and Fisheries’ Cane ExpansionFund. The report supplied by the Ministerwas dated April 6, 2015 and covered the pe-riod ending October 31, 2011.

Ag Boards Yield Mixed Results

Publisher & Editor: Patrick MaitlandConsulting Editors:

Vincent Wright, Jairzenho BaileyProduced & Published by:Agri Life Foundation Ltd

AMC Complex,188 Spanish Town Road,Kingston 11, Jamaica, W.I.Tel: (876) 923-7471• 923-7428Fax: (876) 923-7428

[email protected]@theagriculturalist.comwww.theagriculturalist.com

Syngenta warns of 'slowing growth'in GM seeds sectorSyngenta warned of a slowdown in the

market for genetically modified cropsas the ag giant, being pursued by biotechseeds champion Monsanto, unveiled bet-ter-than-expected profits and hailed itsagrichemicals portfolio.

The Swiss-based group, for whichMonsanto has unveiled a $45bn takeoveroffer, said that the market for GM cropswas "slowing", having reached "saturationlevels" in markets where the technology ispermitted, and still being restricted in thelikes of Europe, Japan and Russia.

Already, well over 90% or canola,corn, cotton and soybeans grown in theUS is from biotech seed.

In South America, the technology haspenetrated more than 80% of the Argen-tine and Brazilian corn markets, and incorn has a 93% share in Brazil and 100%share in Argentina.

However, the group said that its ownrevenues from GM seed traits would morethan double over the next five years, to ap-proaching $1bn, fuelled by China's ap-proval of its MIR 162 corn seed, whichoffers particular protection against insectpests, and has been licensed to rivals in-cluding Monsanto.

MIR 162 was the seed at the centre ofChina's rejection of a series of cargos ofUS corn last year, provoking losses formerchants and a series of lawsuits lodgedagainst Syngenta, before the technologywas approved by Beijing officials.


obituaries

--------------------------------------Send your obituaries report to: [email protected]

MOA Videographer died Videographer at the Ministry of Agriculture and fish-

eries and of Joyce Road, Golden Spring, St. Andrew.Glenroy Kirkland "GLEN" Bucknor died on Died on July 4,2015.

He is survived by children Ebonique and Destiny;father Watson; brothers Robin, Garnet and Rodney; sistersKarine and Stivette, other relatives, co-workers and friends.

Aaron Parke, agriculturalist & attorney-at-law

Agronomist, international business development/man-agement consultant, attorney-at-Law, former perma-

nent secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheriesand chairman of the Agro Investment Corporation, AaronParke on Thursday, June 11, 2015 while in Florida for treat-ment in his battle with cancer.

EDUCATION

EBONY PARK/CASE MOU: In photo (l-r) Winston Jones, the College of Agriculture, Science and Education(CASE) International Liaison Officer; Dave Sergeon, HEART Trust NTA, EbonyPark; Shim-Hue-Deputy Manager, Ebony Park; Robert Green –Director/PrincipalEbony Park, Dian Medley, CASE Vice President, CASE and Vincent Myres, Headof Section, Ebony Park. The HEART Trust NTA, Ebony Park and CASE signed aMemorandum of Understand (MOU) to ensure greater collaboration between thetwo leading agricultural training institutions at the college in Portland recently.

The Ministry of Agriculture is accusingsome farmers of unfairly jacking up theprices of their agricultural produce underthe guise that they are grappling with theeffects of the dry spell.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry,Donovan Stanbury, says there is no justifi-able reason for the doubling of farm gateprices. The magnitude of increase is not inkeeping with the inputs and he promisesthat the buying public will be saturatedwith information on where to make pur-chases.

The Ministry is looking at strategies

to help protect consumers from price goug-ing. The Ministry will be working with theConsumer Affairs Commission to provideinformation on farm gate prices.

Consideration is being given to plac-ing the information on the Ministry's web-site. On Monday our sister station, TVJ,reported that farmers in St. Elizabeth havewarned that further increases in the priceof ground produce are coming as theyhave been battered by the prolonged dryspell.

In the meantime, Mr. Stanbury saysgiven the current situation consumers mayhave to make tough decisions.

Some farmers accused of pricegouging in wake of dry spell

Get the message to the farmersAdvertise with us....

923-7471


NEWSNo need for panic

as dry spell continues The Ministry of Agriculture says, de-

spite the impact of the dry spell onseveral farming communities, there is noneed to panic regarding the supply of agri-cultural produce.

The drought has reduced productionlevels as some farmers do not have accessto irrigation and the cost of purchasingwater is a deterrent.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry,Donovan Stanbury, says the dry spell hasnot been impacting all parishes with thesame measure of severity. “In fact someof the western parishes are having goodrainfall. It is not a situation where there isa complete shortage of food items.”

Stanbury also said Ministry has notseen an increase in requests for permits toimport agricultural produce.

---------------------------------Another three-yearfor Senator grant

Government Senator Norman W. Granthas been re-elected unopposed presi-

dent of the JAS for another three year-term at the 120th Annual General Meetingof the Jamaica Agricultural Society heldon Tuesday July 8, 2015 at the DenbighShow Ground, May Pen Clarendon.

Incumbent 1st vice-president, DonaldBerry and 2nd vice-president, RoystonJohnson were also re-elected, while HughJohnson was selected a direct member rep-resentative to the JAS over thirty-memberstrong board of directors.

-------------------------Agriculture Ministry

Endorses H2K Organic Stimulants

By Rochelle Williams

The Ministry of Agriculture is endors-ing the use of the Health 2000 (H2K)

AGRO line of organic stimulants in Ja-maica in an effort to boost soil health andcrop productivity.

State Minister in the Ministry, LutherBuchanan said the use of the products is inkeeping with strategies by the Ministry tointroduce innovative sustainable farmingmethods to ensure the viability of the sec-tor, thereby safeguarding the country’sfood supply. The all-natural bio stimulants,which will be distributed locally by HealthBrands Jamaica Limited, have proven toimprove the yield and quality of crops in-cluding fruits, vegetables, and smallgrains.

“We will produce greater quantities,which will feed more of our people, wewill eat what we grow and we will be ableto manufacture more value-added productsand spend less on imports,” he said.

Buchanan was addressing the recentlaunch of Health 2000 (H2K) AGRO Ja-maica at the Terra Nova Hotel in Kingston.The all-natural bio stimulants, which willbe distributed locally by Health Brands Ja-maica Limited, have proven to improvethe yield and quality of crops includingfruits, vegetables, and small grains.

Refined SugarCess To FundFarming

The proposed cess on imported refined sugarforms part of the administration’s undertak-ing to restructure the regime governing theimportation of the commodity, with the pro-ceeds earmarked to fund the sector’s trans-formation.

This was stated by Minister of Agricul-ture, Labour and Social Security, Hon. Der-rick Kellier, at a ground breaking ceremonyfor the repairing of 14 kilometres of caneroads from Elim to Braes River in St. Eliza-beth, on July 9.

The Minister had emphasized that theGovernment would not allow imported re-fined sugar, meant for the manufacturing sec-tor, to continue to be leaked to the retail trade,and undermine raw sugar production and robthe Government of much needed revenue.

The proposed cess on imported refinedsugar forms part of the administration’s un-dertaking to restructure the regime govern-ing the importation of the commodity, withthe proceeds earmarked to fund the sector’stransformation.

This was stated by Minister of Agricul-ture, Labour and Social Security, DerrickKellier, at a ground breaking ceremony forthe repairing of 14 kilometres of cane roadsfrom Elim to Braes River in St. Elizabeth, onJuly 9.

In his contribution to the 2015/16 Sec-toral Debate in the House of Representativeson April 21, the Minister had emphasized thatthe Government would not allow importedrefined sugar, meant for the manufacturingsector, to continue to be leaked to the retailtrade, and undermine raw sugar productionand rob the Government of much needed rev-enue.

The Minister said then that the imposi-tion of the cess is also intended to level theplaying field within the sector, noting that allother sugar consumed in Jamaica is subjectto a similar tax.

-MOA PHOTO:A ROAD REHABILITATION PROJECT:Minister of Agriculture, Labour and Social Security, Derrick Kellier (centre, seated), is as-sisted with the signing of contract document by Milton Hodelin, project engineer, SugarTransformation Unit, at the contract signing and groundbreaking ceremony for a road re-habilitation project held on July 9 at Brae’s River in St. Elizabeth while (from left, seated)Member of Parliament for North East St. Elizabeth, Raymond Pryce, signs as witness. Atright is Newton Barnes, contractor at N.F. Barnes Construction & Equipment Limited. Stand-ing, from left, are Jesús Orús Baguena, Head of Cooperation at the Delegation of the Euro-pean Union to Jamaica and Keleen Young-Grandison, head of the Sugar TransformationUnit.


NEWS

The Rural Agricultural Development au-thority (RADA) this year celebrates its

milestone achievement of twenty five yearsof unwavering service delivery to the farm-ers of Jamaica.

Established under the Rural AgriculturalDevelopment Authority Act of 1990, and re-placing the Land Authorities Act, RADAbegan its operation on August 1, 1990.

As the chief extension agency of theMinistry of Agriculture and Fisheries we arehonoured to continue this thrust in offeringtechnical advisory services in the effort toimprove production and productivity withinthe agricultural sector.

With the motto of ‘People, Land andOpportunity’ we have sought to chart thecourse of an efficient, modern, relevant andsustainable extension service that has beenameliorating the quality of life of rural farmfamilies.

We wish to highlight and thank the pio-neers at the helm of the organization’s exis-tence to include the visionary Hon. HoraceClarke, Dr. Garnett Brown, who ably servedas RADA’s first Executive Chairman andsubsequently as Executive Director, Dr.Fenton Dyer as Chairman, and other distin-guished leaders who have paved the wayand laid the foundation for this noble orga-nization’s growth and development.

Our local regional and internationalpartners have also provided their unstintingsupport to us over the years and for this weare truly grateful.

We have indeed solidified our efforts inproviding notable and sustainable initiativesto our farmers to include: Production andProductivity Programmes, Integrated PestManagement, Social Services / Home Eco-nomics, Marketing and Livestock alongwith the National Farmers’ RegistrationProgramme, ABIS among many others.

The ABIS database one of our flagshipprogrammes is a comprehensive means ofproviding demographics, crop productiondata and other forms of reporting mecha-nisms, market intelligence and informationon planning and forecasting.

In making farmers more knowledgeableand capable of managing their farms andimproving the quality of their output wehave been making direct strides in intro-ducing concepts such as Farmer FieldSchools, Climate Smart Agriculture, train-

ing in Greenhouse Production and facilitat-ing technologies in agriculture to ensure ef-fectiveness and perpetuate innovations toover 50,000 trained farmers island-wide.

Based on the need to encourage new en-trants in agricultural business ventures, asone of the main strategic pillars of the or-ganization, special emphasis is given to in-corporate women and youth in ourprogrammes and

In terms of organizational realignment,

RADA has not only sought to augment itscore extension staff from sixty to ninetyeight Extension Officers but have also beenencouraging continuous recertification andtraining of its extension staff through gen-der sensitization programmes mainstream-ing gender in extension delivery, providingadvanced farmer field school train thetrainer programmes among several others.

Much has been done by means of ful-filling several programmes projects and ini-

tiatives facilitated by both local and inter-national agencies and much more is neededto be done to ensure our work is impactfulin providing technical knowledge transferfor another twenty –five years and beyond.

The farmers have a great role to play inmaking the sector viable and we encouragethem to share the information garnered andwork together in a structured manner to at-tain a unified goal of increasing productiv-ity.

RADA 25TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

RADA…Revolutionizing Agriculture

Lenworth Fulton, CEO, RADA


‘Eat what we grow… Grow what we eat’Over the past six years Noranda Jamaica Bauxite Partners has been leading the

charge to transform agriculture by sharing greenhouse technology and spearheading the building of sixty greenhouses for small farmers in our mining areas.

We call it the ‘greenhouse revolution’ – helping to feed

By Judith Hunter JIS

President of the Jamaica AgriculturalSociety (JAS), Senator Norman Grant,

addresses a JIS Think Tank on July 1,where he unveiled plans for Denbigh 2015.

The 52-acre Denbigh Showground inClarendon will be abuzz with activitiesfrom July 31 to August 2, with the stagingof the 63rd Denbigh Agricultural, Indus-trial and Food Show.

The annual three-day event is organ-ised by the Jamaica Agricultural Society(JAS).

Over 120,000 persons are expected toattend Denbigh this year. The 52-acre Den-bigh Showground in Clarendon will beabuzz with activities from July 31 to Au-gust 2, with the staging of the 63rd Den-bigh Agricultural, Industrial and FoodShow.

The annual three-day event is organ-ised by the Jamaica Agricultural Society(JAS). Over 120,000 persons are expectedto attend Denbigh this year.

The highly anticipated event, consid-ered to be the premier agro-industrial showin Jamaica and the English-speakingCaribbean, will be held under the theme:‘Grow what you eat…Eat what you grow –Making Agriculture Sustainable.’

Addressing a JIS Think Tank onWednesday, July 1, President of the JAS,Senator Norman Grant, said that this year’sevent forms part of the JAS’ yearlong120th anniversary celebrations from May2015 to May 2016.

“We will highlight how the JAS hasempowered our farmers and contribute tothe building of a strong agricultural sectorover last 120 years,” he said.

According to Senator Grant the showcontinues to attract patrons, who are notonly interested in the festivities but in ac-tually investing in agriculture.

As a result, this year, the JAS will un-dertake an initiative to dispense informa-tion on investing in agriculture, andprovide on-the-spot consulting sessionswith persons, “who have shown more thanmere cursory interest in investing in agri-industrial ventures”.

The main objectives of the DenbighAgricultural, Industrial and Food Showare: to promote the agricultural sector; dis-play the best foods produced in Jamaica;and highlight the importance of agricultureto food security, business development andnation building.

Governor-General, His Excellency theMost Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, is expected toattend the July 31 opening.

Minister of Agriculture, Labour andSocial Security, Derrick Kellier, will be inattendance on August 1; while Prime Min-ister, the Most Hon. Portia Simpson Milleris scheduled to attend on August 2.

Gates will open daily at 8:00 a.m. eachday and admission is $800 for adults.

Denbigh 2015 to Attract 120,000 Patrons

DENBIGH LAUNCH: (l-r) JAS 1st vice-president, Donald Berry, President of the JAS, Norman Grant,Jamaica Broiler’s CEO, Chris Levy; and Minister of Agriculture, Labour and So-cial Security, Derrick Kellier at the recent launch of Denbigh 2015.


Meet The Farm QueensAs the longest, most dynamic agricultural

event spanning 63 years, the DenbighAgricultural, Industrial and Food Show isunquestionably one of the country’s premierevents that continues to earn the love andsupport of thousands of Jamaicans, espe-cially during the Emancipation and Inde-pendence season.

I commend the Jamaica AgriculturalSociety (JAS) for remaining committed toensuring that the Show continues to be a na-tional success year after year. The numerousbenefits and support that our local farmershave gained at this annual event have cer-tainly boosted the agricultural sector and Iwholeheartedly thank the JAS for its signif-icant contribution in this regard.

Agriculture is deeply embedded in Ja-maica’s history and culture. In fact, ourfoundation is built on the hard work of ourforefathers who toiled the land and helpedour country to achieve significant economicgains through farming. Today, agriculture re-mains a significant sector that supports ourcountry’s growth and development agenda. Iam particularly pleased to note that up toMarch of this year, domestic agriculture pro-duction registered growth of 3.4 percent de-spite significant challenges to the sector.

Additionally, through the Government’sAgro-Parks initiative, we are making head-way in developing a sustainable agricultureindustry that brings truth to the mantra

“Grow What We Eat, Eat What We Grow.”We are certainly reaping the fruits of ourlabour with the Agro-Parks which were es-tablished contributing to a reduction in thefood import bill last year. Certainly, the in-vestments are paying off and the initiativesto buttress and transform the agriculturalsector are showing promise.

This outstanding event would not havebeen possible without the tremendous con-sistent efforts of the JAS, Ministry of Agri-culture and the various sponsors whoorganise the engaging activities and excep-tional displays we associate with the Den-bigh brand.

My very best wishes for a successfulstaging of Denbigh 2015.

A vision for a better JamaicaThe agenda has been established. Jamaica

is on a serious mission to grow our econ-omy and to increase the well-being and pros-perity of our citizens. Making agriculturesustainable is an important part of the strat-egy to achieve these goals.

As we pursue our national vision for abetter Jamaica, it is always ting to identifyand celebrate those things and traditionswhich help to de ne who we are as a people.Our agricultural institutions and achieve-ments, among which the Annual DenbighAgricultural Show is to be counted, are un-doubtedly an important part of our nationalidentity.

Against that background, I am verypleased to hail and commend the farmers ofJamaica who, under the leadership of the Ja-maica Agricultural Society (JAS), havebrought us all together again to celebrate theJamaican agricultural sector. I wish to espe-cially note the staunch resilience of our ap-proximately 230,000 small farmers, whocontinue to brave the myriad challenges ofthis sector, including extended dry spells,crop pests and diseases, and forest fires, andcontinue to e sure the production of foodcrops.

And, in addition, I wish to acknowledgethe valuable contribution of our agro-processers, exporters, suppliers, marketersand, financiers, along the value chain of agri-cultural production. This is year we mark spe-cial milestones – the 120th Anniversary of theJAS; 75th Anniversary of the 4-H Clubs, 65thAnniversary of the Coffee Industry Board andthe 25th Anniversary of the Rural AgriculturalDevelopment Authority (RADA).

As we celebrate, I implore all Jamaicansto increase your appreciation for the stalwart

work of these sector organisations by eatingmore of what we grow.

Denbigh is truly a marketplace for ideasand innovations as farmers and other indus-try stakeholders meet face to face, interactand sow new seeds for future growth and de-velopment of the sector.

I note the product improvement plans forDenbigh and the inauguration of new compo-nents, including the new food court, named inhonour of the late former Minister, the Hon.Roger Clarke. In this regard I also note thelivestock auction and the Agriculture AppCompetition.

As we look to the future, let us all con-tinue to work to make Jamaican agriculturesustainable. On behalf of the Ministry ofAgriculture and Fisheries, it gives me greatpleasure to congratulate the farmers, the Ja-maica Agricultural Society and all the partic-ipants in, this, the 63rd Anniversary of theDenbigh Agricultural, Industrial and FoodShow.

A dynamic agricultural event

Derrick Kellier Agriculture Minister

Portia Simpson Miller, ON, MPPrime Minister


Meet The Farm Queens


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Children and Family HubThe Children and Family Hub for this years staging ofthe Denbigh Show will focus primarily on teaching chil-dren about agriculture in a fun way, through games, ridesand agriculture based activities. Children, at a young age,are impressionable and it is an opportunity to sow theseeds of agriculture in their minds, while making it funenough to capture and keep their attention. In this way,the future of agriculture can be protected.

Tourism and Linkage HubThe Denbigh Secretariat will re-introduce the concept ofthe Tourism and Linkage Hub for Denbigh 2014 and theJamaica Tourist Board will collaborate with us in thisinitiative. The Tourism and Linkage Hub is an integralfacet of the Denbigh Show as it is intended to highlightand promote the importance of collaboration within thesectors to showcase our cuisine culture and to inform thepublic of its benefits to national development. TheTourism and Linkage Hub will offer participants withinthe Hotel and other Industries the opportunity to:

-Become an integral part of the Buyer's Exchangeand Linkage Forum

-Host discussions through seminars focusing on theimportance of the advancement of tourism, the country'smain source of foreign exchange and its link with theagricultural sector

-Showcase the tourism sector's utilization of agri-cultural products through sampling of foods and bever-ages

-Provide an entertainment outlet for tourists to be-come exposed to another aspect of Jamaica's culture andcreativity

-As is traditionally expected, each day of the showis especially dedicated to a particular Government Offi-cial who addresses the audience or patrons.

-The Tourism and Linkage Hub will become the hubof interrelated partnership between the tourism and agri-cultural sectors.

Health & Wellness HubOne of the focuses of the Health and Wellness Hub

is to provide healthcare services that are both educationaland beneficial for the patrons well being. In recognizingthe important elements of maintaining complete physi-cal, mental, and social lifestyle the health and wellnesscircle becomes an integral aspect of the Denbigh Showto provide screening, essential tests and health checks tointerested persons attending the event.

The Health and Wellness Hub will therefore givethe Health and Wellness Provider the opportunity to: Tostrengthen business relations with existing clientèle andto create awareness for the latest holistic and organicwell-being products and services.

THE PRIDE OF DENBIGH SHOW:Outgoing National Farm Queen Tishauna Mullingsposes with the trophy she won in 2014. Mullings isan Ambassador for the Governor General's I Be-lieve Initiative who engages herself in youth em-powerment activities continuously. She was alsonominated for the Prime Minister's Youth Award inthe area of Youth Work in 2013. She is able to ex-press her passion for the socioeconomic improve-ment of her community working as an AgricultureValue Chain Administrator at the St. Thomas Coop-erative Credit Union. She assists in providing ac-cess to finance for rural farmers for agriculturalproduction. She enjoys planting onions, melons andstring beans in her backyard garden for relaxation.

Denbigh features and attractions


This year’s staging of the Denbigh Agri-cultural, Industrial and Food Show falls

within the Jamaica Agricultural Society’s cel-ebration of their 120 years of contribution tonation building. It is also taking place at atime of severe drought and bush fires thathave impacted farmers in every parish.

Against this background we can agreethat the single greatest item on display atDenbigh, this year, is the courage and deter-mination of the JAS and our hard workingfarmers across Jamaica. They are the epitomeof the persistence and resilience of the Ja-maican people, of which we are very proud.

The sub-theme for Denbigh 2015 “Mak-ing Agriculture Sustainable” supports the tra-

jectory on which the JAS embarked severalyears ago with the “Grow what we eat…Eatwhat we grow” and “Eat Jamaican” cam-paigns.

It is also in keeping with the thrust foragricultural development to promote our foodsecurity and contribute to the growth of theJamaican economy. Agriculture should there-fore be sustainable in both quality and con-sistency of output, driven by the applicationof modern technologies that will enable its ef-fectiveness and mitigate the harmful effectsof natural and man-made hazards.

To this end, I urge you the JAS and allour farmers, to continue to forge creativelinkages that will cement agriculture as a pri-mary pillar of growth in our economy.

I particularly commend the work thathas been accomplished under the youth inagriculture programme and hope that more ofour young people will be motivated to engagein this sector.

It is my hope that this year’s show willbe successful not only in terms of the exhibitsand support from the wider populace, but alsobecause of the resulting recommitment of allstakeholders to making agriculture sustain-able.

Contribution to nation building

Patrick Allen Governor-General

A sense of pride and admiration

It is with a sense of pride and admiration foryour contribution to the development ofJamaica’s agricultural sector as a key part ofthe productive base of our economy that I ex-tend heartiest congratulations to the JamaicaAgricultural Society (JAS), as we mark the63rd staging of the Denbigh Agricultural, In-dustrial and Food show. Denbigh 2015promises to be as exciting, fulfilling and re-warding for farmers, exhibitors, and patronsalike.

The organizing committee must be rec-ognized for their successful planning over theyears of this important national event.

There is no doubt that the JAS’s over-sight and active support over the years hashelped farmers and other Denbigh Agricul-tural Show stakeholders navigate the vicissi-tudes of a dynamic and challenging sector.Your vigilance and oversight these past 63years have not only amounted to critical sup-port but have inured to the establishment of abrand and product – the Denbigh Show,which all Jamaica can be proud of.

This annual agricultural exhibitionshowcases Jamaica’s finest agricultural of-ferings and continues to be an irresistible andalluring attraction for Jamaican farmers andtheir admirers throughout the length andbreadth of our beautiful island. The thou-

sands of people who have made it a “mustsee” on their calendars each year is manifesttestimony to this fact.

There can be no doubt that Agricultureplays a fundamental role in the growth of aneconomy. The Jamaican economy is no dif-ferent and although it has diminished some-what agriculture remains a significant andweighty contributor to the development ofthe Jamaican economy.

Andrew HolnessLeader of The Opposition

Since 1895, the Jamaica Agricultural Soci-ety (JAS) has been at the forefront of the

promotion of agriculture and has mountedseveral shows island wide.

The first show staged by the Society wasthe Kendal Show, which was held in Kendal,Clarendon and since then, District and ParishShows have been held in every parishthroughout the island with the main attrac-tions being livestock, agricultural and horti-cultural exhibits.

The Denbigh Agricultural and IndustrialShow is a hallmark event that has been em-bedded in the unique culture and the broadfabrics of the Jamaican people from as earlyas 1953 to present.

Situated on twenty nine hectares of pic-turesque lands at May Pen, Clarendon, theDenbigh Show comes to life for three days ofpulsating activities offering wholesome en-tertainment to over sixty thousand patronsthat have been attending the event on an an-nual basis.

Spirits have been lifted and enthusiasmbuilt for the unforgettable experience of thegrand Exposition that has been renowned forpromoting the farmers livelihood, i.e. the

finest quality agricultural produce from var-ied commodity groups, its value added prod-ucts, industrial and technological equipmentfrom main stakeholders affiliated within theagricultural sector.

As is traditionally expected, each day ofthe show is especially dedicated to a particu-lar Government Official who addresses theaudience or patrons.

Many of these invited guests who havemade valid contributions to the Show’s expe-rience include: Governor of Puerto Rico in1955, the former Governor Generals – SirClifford Campbell, Sir Florizel Glasspole, SirHoward Cooke, Professer Sir Kenneth Halland the present Governor General Sir PatrickAllen.

Heads of Governments who also at-tended the show were Sir Alexander Busta-mante, Rt. Hon. Norman Manley, Rt. Hon.Hugh Shearer, Sir Donald Sangster, Rt. Hon.Michael Manley, Rt. Hon. Edward Seaga, TheMost. Hon. P.J Patterson, Most Hon. PortiaSimpson Miller and Most Hon. Bruce Gold-ing have all supported and assisted in the pro-motion of this historical event.

The Denbigh History


By Dr. Wayne Myrie, Plant Pathologist/Molecular Biologist

Coconut Industry Board

The Ambrosia bark beetle (Xyleborusferrugineus Fabricius and Xyleborus

volvulus Fabricius), known as an insect pestof wood, was found in the trunk of a co-conut tree in Hayes, Corn Piece in Claren-don, and in Ramble, Hanover.

The beetle was also found in the drynuts and jellies respectively. They weak-ened coconut trees are most susceptible toinfestation.

The adults are generally brown to blackand small in size, measuring 2-3 mm. Theyare approximately 1.9 times as long as wideand have an oblong shape. When viewedfrom above, the head is concealed by theprothorax.

The life cycle is simple and involvesthe following stages: Adult, Egg, Larvaeand Pupae.

The adult flies and bores holes into thetrees. Eggs are laid in tunnels and the re-sulting larvae will bore outwards from thetunnel where they are born. Both the larvaeand adults bore into the stems of the coconuttree.

The beetle is not eating the trunk, drynuts or jellies for survival. Experts say it isusing these as media for the cultivation ofthe fungal symbionts. In the first case foundin Hayes, Clarendon, the beetle seems to beliving in nutritional symbiosis with Fusar-ium sp.

The following are general recom-mendations for prevention and control: •Keeping coconut palms healthy can min-imize infestations •Severe dry conditions increase the risk ofattack by bark beetle•Pheromone traps can be used to monitoradult activity and disrupt the mating andegg-laying of the beetle•Ultraviolet black light traps may be usedto monitor adult insects, which are drawnto the light and die in the bucket •Infested nuts should be removed andburned•Malathion can be used to spray the trunkand crown of the infested coconut trees•Do not remove infested nuts from the fieldand send elsewhere; this will spread the in-festation to other farms.

•Actions taken to sensitized the farmingcommunity about bark beetle•Brochures about the bark beetle were dis-tributed at the Coconut.

RESEARCHERS’ NEWSBark Beetle - a new pest affecting coconut

Look ourfor

FARMERSALMANAC2016

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The adult Ambrosia bark beetle

Powdery material at the base of the trunk


What Are Aphids?

Aphids seem to find their way intoevery garden. They are small, soft-

bodied insects that can survive in almostany zone. Aphids multiply quickly, so tryto control them before reproduction starts.Many generations can occur in one season.The good news is that they tend to moverather slowly and are relatively easy tocontrol.

Identifying AphidsAphids are tiny (about 1/32” to 1/8”), andoften invisible to the naked eye. Variousspecies can appear white, black, brown,gray, yellow, light green, or even pink!Some may have a waxy or woolly coating.They have pear-shaped bodies with longantennae; the nymphs look similar toadults. Most species have two short tubes(called cornicles) projecting from theirhind end. Adults are usually wingless, butmost species can develop a winged formwhen populations become crowded, so thatwhen food quality suffers, the insects cantravel to other plants, reproduce, and starta new colony. Aphids usually feed in largegroups, although you might occasionallysee them singly or in small numbers.

Aphid DamageNymphs and adults feed on plant juices, at-tacking leaves, stems, buds, flowers, fruit,and/or roots, depending on species. Mostespecially like succulent or new growth.

Some, such as the green peach aphid, feedon a variety of plants, while others, such asthe rosy apple aphid, focus on one or just afew plant hosts.

Look for misshapen, curling, stunted,or yellow leaves. Be sure to check the un-dersides of leaves, aphids love to hidethere.

If the leaves or stems are covered witha sticky substance, that is a sign that aphidsmay have been sipping sap. The honeydew,a sugary liquid produced by the insects aswaste, can attract other insects, such asants, which gather the substance for food.

When aphids feed on trees, their hon-eydew can drop onto cars, outdoor furni-ture, driveways, etc.

The honeydew can sometimes developa fungal growth called sooty mold, causingbranches and leaves to appear black.

Aphids feeding on flowers or fruit cancause them to become distorted.Some aphid species cause galls to form onroots or leaves.

Aphids may transmit viruses to certainplants, and also attract other insects thatprey on them.

How to Get Rid of AphidsTry spraying cold water on the leaves,sometimes all aphids need is a cool blast todislodge them.

Use commercially available biologicalcontrols or by spraying with insecticidalsoap or horticultural oil.

You can often get rid of aphids bywiping or spraying the leaves of the plantwith a mild solution of water and a fewdrops of dishwashing detergent such asIvory.

Stir together 1 quart of water, 1 tsp ofliquid dish soap and a pinch of cayennepepper. Do not dilute before spraying onplants.

In a spray bottle combine 2 parts rub-bing alcohol, 5 parts water, and 1 table-spoon liquid soap.

Organic controls include alcohol spray(isopropyl alcohol, straight or diluted),soapy emulsion (can be mixed w/alcohol),horticultural oil (read the directions) andpyrethrum spray. Soapy water/alcoholshould be reapplied every 2-3 days for 2weeks.

You can also purchase beneficial in-sects, such as lady beetles and parasiticwasps, which will feed on aphids. Theseare usually ordered via mail—check the In-ternet for labs.

Bring beneficial insects to your gardenby adding plants that attract them. For ex-ample, nasturtiums are a good plant to ridyour garden of aphids.

What are Aphids?Aphid

FarmersAlmanac

2016

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The Netherlands has just become the lat-est country, following Russia, Mexico,

and many others, to say no to Monsanto.The sale and use of glyphosate-based her-bicides (the most commonly used herbi-cides in the world) has just been banned fornon-commercial use in the country, effec-tive later this year.

This means that people will no longerbe able to spray RoundUp on their lawnsand gardens and will instead have to findanother (hopefully more natural) means ofpest control.

This is definitely a step in the right di-rection. The move comes as no surprise,considering that the number of countriesaround the world who are choosing to banthis product is growing at an exponentialrate.

Bans and restrictions are being imple-mented due to the fact that glyphosate (themain ingredient in RoundUp) has been di-rectly linked to several major health issues,including: birth defects, nervous systemdamage, Alzheimers, Parkinson’s, variousforms of cancer, and kidney failure. (SriLanka recently cited deadly kidney diseaseas their reason for banning his product. Youcan read more about that and access the re-search here.) Indeed, The World Health Or-ganization recently acknowledged the factthat glyphosate can cause cancer.

There are also multiple environmentalconcerns associated with the use of thischemical. What’s even more disturbing isthe fact that studies have shown thatRoundUp herbicide is over 100 times moretoxic than regulators claim. For example, anew study published in the journal Bio-medical Research International shows thatRoundup herbicide is 125 times more toxicthan its active ingredient, glyphosate, stud-ied in isolation.

The eye opening abstract reads as fol-lows: “Pesticides are used throughout theworld as mixtures called formulations.They contain adjuvants, which are oftenkept confidential and are called inerts bythe manufacturing companies, plus a de-clared active principle, which is usuallytested alone. We tested the toxicity of 9pesticides, comparing active principles andtheir formulations, on three human celllines.

Glyphosate, isoproturon, fluroxypyr,pirimicarb, imidacloprid, acetamiprid,tebuconazole, epoxiconazole, and prochlo-raz constitute, respectively, the active prin-ciples of 3 major herbicides, 3 insecticides,and 3 fungicides. Despite its relatively be-nign reputation, Roundup was among themost toxic herbicides and insecticidestested.

Most importantly, 8 formulations outof 9 were up to one thousand times moretoxic than their active principles. Our re-sults challenge the relevance of the accept-able daily intake for pesticides because thisnorm is calculated from the toxicity of theactive principle alone.

Chronic tests on pesticides may not re-flect relevant environmental exposures ifonly one ingredient of these mixtures istested alone.”

Equally disturbing is the fact thatRoundUp has been found in a very highpercentage of air and rainfall test samples.Significant concentrations of it have alsobeen found in the urine of people acrossEurope.

One recent study published in the Journalof Environmental & Analytical Toxicologyhas now proven that animals and humanswho consume GMO foods – those that areloaded with glyphosate chemicals, themain ingredient in Monsanto’s RoundUp –have extremely high levels of glyphosatein their urine.

It’s also noteworthy to mention thatthere are Wikileaks documents showing

how the United States planned to “retaliateand cause pain” on countries who were re-fusing GMOs.

It’s troubling to think that so manychildren are within proximity of and play-ing on lawns that have been sprayed withthis stuff. Cancer is not a mystery, it is nota stroke of bad luck, it’s time for the worldto wake up and realize what research hasbeen confirming for years.

Why The Netherlands Just Banned Monsanto’s Glyphosate-Based Herbicides


Published by RADA

INTEGRATED PEST management(IPM) is a safer approach to pest control.

It uses a mix of methods to reduce cropdamage by pests, helpful creatures to theecosystem and the environment, i.e., soil,water and air.

Pesticides are to be used as a last re-sort. Problems with pesticides include:More serious pest problemsDanger to healthExport market problemsLess farm profitsPolluted soil, water, air.How does IPM work?

In IPM, the farmer uses a greaterknowledge of nature, soil, water, climate,creatures and plants to make it easy forcrops to flourish but hard for pests.

Harmful pesticides are to be used onlywhen needed.

This brings better crops, less pestproblems and man and the environmentstay healthier.

Cultural practicesNormal field work is used to make

field conditions best for the crop and worstfor pests.

Plant at a place and time for early,strong crop growth and to avoid heavy pestattack.

Prepare land early and properly, to de-stroy soil pests and allow proper rootgrowth.

Use pest-free planting material.Protect plants in the nursery (usingscreens) from insects which carry disease,e.g., viruses.

Check plants at least weekly for anyproblems.

Space, prune and stake plants to re-duce overcrowding and disease build-up.

Reap on time to escape pest damageReap with care to reduce bruises and

rots.Keep some weeds that beneficials feed

on around fields.

Biological controlIn nature many creatures kill pests.

Some of these natural enemies or benefi-cials are very small and hard to see; farm-ers often mistake others for pests. Improperpesticide use helps pests to proliferate bykilling their natural enemies. It also helpspests become resistant to pesticides.

The three types of beneficials are par-asitoids, predators and pathogens.

Sometimes, beneficials kill pests evenbetter than pesticides, e.g., a ladybeetle andwasp used in the eastern Caribbean to con-trol pink mealybug. Countries thereby savemoney and protect health and the environ-ment.

Parasitoids (parasites) are usuallysmaller than the pest. They search forpests, eggs or young and lay eggs on or in-side them. The young parasite feeds and

grows inside the pest, killing it.Predators are usually larger than the

pest. Each predator catches and eats manypest eggs, young and adults. Examples: La-dybeetles, young lacewing flies, spiders,some mites, assassin bugs, ground beetles,common wasps, some bird bats.

Pathogens are germs, fungi, virusesand bacteria that make pests sick.

They are spread by wind, water, soiland on plant parts/pests.

Small farmers in other countries makespray from diseased insects and use it tokill pests.

Some plants resist pests naturally. Sci-entists also develop varieties that bear well,even when attacked.

Bio-rationalsInsects are drawn towards substances

called pheromones. Pheromones are usedin traps to catch pests, reduce breeding,prevent pest build-up and check fields forpest. Biological pesticides kill pests andprotect beneficials. Fungus and virusgerms are also used in this way.

Botanical insecticides are made fromplants.

IPM rules for pesticide use:1. First know what problem is affecting thecrop.2. If a pesticide is needed, use the safestone to man, beneficials and the environ-ment that will work. For example, most

bio-rationals and some of the new productson the market.3. Read and follow the label.4. Measure the right amount and mix prop-erly.5. Where possible, use poison baits insteadof sprays.6. If insects/mites/slugs are only in smallsections of a field, treat only those sections.7. If spraying, use the right sprayer andnozzle for the job.8. Use a hollow cone for insecticides,fungicides.9. Use a flood jet or fan jet for herbicides.10. As far as possible, spray insecticides inthe late evenings.11. Never throw pesticides/containers in ornear streams or rivers12. Do not reap produce before the periodwritten on the label, the pre-harvest inter-val.13. Lock pesticides safely away from chil-dren and other unauthorised persons.14. Avoid direct contact with pesticides.

Important benefits of IPMHealthier people; Less crop damage; Big-ger better harvests; More exports; Morefarm profits; Cleaner environment

Information submitted by the RADA Communi-cations Department and prepared by the divi-sion of Technology Training and TechnicalInformation RADA. For further information call1-888-ASK-RADA

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How to prevent Ginger Rhizome rot, Pt IIThe following tips were provided by thePublic Relations and Communications De-partment of the Rural Agriculture Devel-opment Authority. www.rada.gov.jm.

The most important measure for pre-vention of disease is the use of healthyplanting material.

Fields should have good drainage orraised beds to ensure that rhizomes are notexposed to prolonged wetness.

Do not plant ginger in the same field ifrhizome rot was detected during the previ-ous crop.Know how to identify healthy plantsThey should be robust, have healthy roots.The rhizomes should be well filled, with-out shrinkage and spots. Rhizome 'eyes'should not be watery.The field must be inspected regularly forearly detection and removal of plants dis-playing symptoms of leaf spot and wilt.Mark healthy, disease-free plants in thefield when the crop is 6-8 months old andstill green.For the planting of the next crop, select thebest rhizomes, free from pest and diseasefrom the marked plants.Do not rely only on visual selection of rhi-zomes after harvesting. Disease can pres-ent in seed pieces without any externalsymptoms.

Handle planting material carefully to avoiddamage.Examine the stored rhizomes at monthlyintervals and remove the rhizomes thatshow signs of rotting. This will help tokeep the inoculum level low.It is advisable to plant smaller pieces ofrhizome.Treatment of badly diseased rhizomes isnot effective.Foliar application of approved fungicidesmight be necessary to prevent the spreadof diseases from plant to plant when con-ditions are highly favourable for diseasedevelopment.Jamaican ginger is consumed locally aswell as exported to different external mar-kets. Therefore, farmers should becomeaware of pesticide residues and use onlyapproved chemicals to ensure global food-safety standards and the integrity of Ja-maican ginger. This information can beobtained from the extension officer or di-rectly from the Export Division, Ministryof Agriculture and Fisheries.

Integrated pest management

How to prevent Ginger Rhizome rot


Agri Life Foundation has been established as a non-profit organization to foster and encourage farmers to become

more self-sufficient and competitive in a free market economy. One of the main ways that the Foundation will achieve these

goals is through collaboration, professional support and advisoryfrom experts in the field.

Such collaboration will provide a platform where individuals from academia, business, government, and the farming community

can share research-based information and technology regarding environmentally sound managementand profitable agricultural production practices.

For further information:Patrick Maitland

Executive Chairman, Agri Life Foundation188 Spanish Town Road, Kingston 11, Jamaica WITel: 923-7471; 923-7428 • [email protected]

www.agrilifefoundation.org


Revitalization of the Dairy Sector The Dairy Sector Revitalization Programme has given critical support to the industry since its launchin 2008.

PROJECT FOCUSMaking available low cost loans and grants to farmers through the DBJ/PC Bank network for workingcapital support.

LOAN COMPONENTBeef and dairy farmers have benefited from loans totaling $64 M for pasture development; purchasingbreeding stock; and upgrading farm equipment.

CAPACITY BUILDING COMPONENTAssistance provided through farmers’ organizations include: The re-introduction of a National MilkRecording Programme in collaboration with the Jamaica Hope Cattle Breeders’ Society; Allocationofmastitis testing kits and computers to aid participating farmers in National Milk Recording Programme.

GRANT SUPPORT PROGRAMMEAssist in building local capacity in Embryo Transfer Technique; Capacity building support to BDPAJ inthe development of an operational plan for the management of cluster farms and engagement of pre-project consultancy; Initiation of a collaborative research project with UWI, St Augustine to develop anisland-wide nutritional profile of Jamaica pastures, upgrade the Forage Analytical Laboratory at Bodles;and Approval of grants funding to enable restoration of milk collection facility at Rhymesfield Cooper-ative. Support the establishment of a milk testing reference laboratory at the Bodles Research Station.

For further information contract:JAMAICA DAIRY DEVELOPMENT BOARD

Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Hope Gardens, Kingston 6

Tel: (876) 618-7107 • Fax (876)977-9230• Email: [email protected]

Get more information about agriculture from

THE AGRICULTURALIST The Caribbean #1 farmers’ newspaper

for advertisement 923-7471; 923-7428www.theagriculturalist.com

[email protected]


When it comes to dietary sodium, lessis certainly best, yet Americans

today consume 50% more than the recom-mended daily quantities of sodium. Dietshigh in sodium increase blood pressurelevels. High blood pressure damages thekidneys over time, and is a leading causeof kidney failure.

To help Americans reduce salt intaketo the ideal one teaspoon per day, the Na-tional Kidney Foundation offers 10 tips toreduce sodium in your diet. To help Amer-icans reduce salt intake to the ideal one tea-spoon per day, the National KidneyFoundation and Council of Renal Nutritionmember Linda Ulrich offer 10 tips to re-duce sodium in your diet.

1. Use fresh, rather than packaged,meats. Fresh cuts of beef, chicken or porkcontain natural sodium, but the content isstill much less than the hidden extrasodium added during processing in prod-ucts like bacon or ham. If a food itemkeeps well in the fridge for days or weeks,that's a tip off that the sodium content is toohigh.

2. Choose fresh fruit and vegetables, aswell, since they are very low in sodium.Canned and frozen fruits are also low insodium.

3. When buying frozen vegetables,choose those that are labeled "fresh frozen"and do not contain added seasoning orsauces.

3. Begin reading food labels as a matterof course. Sodium content is always listedon the label. Sometimes the high sugarcontent in a product like apple pie canmask the high sodium content so it's im-portant to check every label for sodiumcontent.

4. Compare various brands of the samefood item until you find the one that hasthe lowest sodium content, since this willvary from brand to brand.

5. Select spices or seasonings that do notlist sodium on their labels, i.e. choose gar-lic powder over garlic salt.

6. Before dining out, do your research.Visit the restaurant's website which shouldlist the sodium content of various dishesserved there. Alternatively, when you're atthe restaurant and ready to order, you canrequest that the dish be served without salt.

7. Beware of products that don't taste es-pecially salty but still have high sodiumcontent, such as cottage cheese.

8. If you have elevated blood pressure,dietary sodium restriction can not onlylower your blood pressure, but can en-hance your response to blood pressuremedications.

9. Salt preference is an acquired tastethat can be unlearned. It takes about 6-8weeks to get used to eating food with muchlower quantities of salt, but once it's done,it's actually difficult to eat foods like po-tato chips because they taste way too salty.Spice Up Your Diet without Salt

Courtesy of The National Kidney Foundation

www.kidney.org/

NutriCareBy

Gloria Bent, MS, RD, CDN - NutritionistQuestions &Comments

[email protected]

Tips For Reducing Salt In Your Diet

The Agricutlrualist Newspaper - August 2015

Documents

Transcript of The Agricutlrualist Newspaper - August 2015