Female farmworkers leave for US in June
For the first time, female farmworkers will participate in the Jamaican Overseas Agricultural Programme to the United States this year.
A group of 64 women will depart in June for the Gebbers Farms in Brewster, Washington.The announcement was made by Minister of Labour and Social Security Shahine Robinson at a ceremony held on May 5 at her North Street offices for the presentation of Gebbers Farms management and workers academic grants to 13 secondary students from Clarendon.“The recruitment exercise is testimony to the strong partnership, which is the source of success behind the growth and development of this employment programme,” she said.Robinson added that it is her desire for the programme to continue to grow, despite the challenges.Gebbers Farms joined the Jamaican Overseas Agricultural Programme in 2010 and took approximately 300 workers that year. Currently, more than 600 Jamaicans work on the farm.
