Bill to Establish Local Farm and Food Council Passes Senate Committee

The formation of the Council, as outlined in Bill No. 35-0049, represents one of the eight mandates established under the Virgin Islands Agriculture Plan in the Territory’s efforts to bolster agriculture and promote food sustainability. The bill passed unanimously during the Senate’s Committee on Economic Development and Agriculture hearing on March 8th.

“The council is not only needed, but without it, the work of implementing the plan will be stagnated,” said Senator Donna Frett-Gregory, on behalf of the legislation as one of the sponsors. “So it is important that we advance the plan forward and all of us, I believe, would most definitely agree on this.”

The bill establishes the Council under the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) for budgetary purposes. It will consist of 11 members and include the Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture, The President of the UVI, The Dean of the UVI School of Agriculture, The Executive Director of the V.I. Economic Development Authority, the Commissioner of the V.I. Department of Education, the Commissioner of the V.I. Department of Planning and Natural Resources and five community members appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Legislature.

Non-governmental representatives will include three licensed Virgin Islands farmers of livestock or crops—one from St. Croix, one from St. Thomas and one from St. John, and two food industry representatives—one from each district, being either a licensed wholesaler, grocer or restauranter.

The Council’s responsibilities include working with governmental and non-governmental stakeholders to make necessary amendments to the VI Ag Plan; recommending changes to existing law or policy, responding to any requests by the Legislature for policy or funding recommendations; advising the Local Food and Farm Coordinator; collecting and evaluating the production and marketing data of critical local food systems, participate in grant decision-making processes, in an advisory capacity; collaborating with local and federal governmental agencies, non-profit organizations and business to research, explore, and enhance food security opportunities; conducting community outreach and engagement surveys, townhalls and other meetings.

As the Legislature continues to roll out the Agriculture Plan, which it developed back in the 33rd Legislature and established under Act No. 8404, lawmakers have pressured key administrators involved with the plan to cease spuddling on the Legislature’s mandate to cultivate the Territory’s agriculture sector.

“We have spent quite a bit of time just running our mouth when it comes to agriculture,” said Senator Alma Francis, a member of the committee. “And we need to do a much better job in really focusing on making sure that agriculture is to the forefront when it comes to food security and the feeding of the people of this territory. I hope that this agriculture plan, which I was a sponsor of, is going to help move the needle towards that.”

On March 7th, the VI Consortium reported that Governor Albert Bryan, Jr had removed Positive Nelson from his post as Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture and would appoint him for a new role in the Territory’s development of the cannabis industry.

“I hope that whoever the new individual is that the governor is going to put in his stead is going to have one with the fortitude and the foresight and the desire to really work with the farmers of this Territory, as well as their colleagues in their initial Department of Agriculture to make sure that when it comes to our food security, it is a number one priority,” said Sen. Francis Heyliger. “We have to breed and we have to eat.”