Floyd Green has joined a long list of Government legislators vowing to successfully tackle the nagging problem of praedial larceny.

Green — who in May this year was appointed by the prime minister to head the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining — confirmed that he has been having meetings with stakeholders willing to work on strategies to combat praedial larceny.

The crime, which authorities estimate is responsible for more than $5 billion in losses to farmers annually, has been a problem for decades and successive administrations have implemented a raft of measures in response.

Last Wednesday, following the launch of this year’s Denbigh Agricultural Industrial and Food Show at Hi-Pro headquarters in St Catherine, Green revealed that he met with representatives of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) to consider how to fast-track discussions on appointing agricultural wardens and specialised police officers to target criminal activities affecting farmers and their agricultural production.

“What we have been seeing is that praedial larceny has evolved. At one point it was just about stealing a one goat, but now it is about organised crime. Now people can be charged under the anti-gang legislation for being involved in praedial larceny,” he pointed out.

He recalled that in the 1980s the Edward Seaga-led Administration had put in place significant legal response in a scheme to have specialised police officers protecting farms. However, he felt that it needed more attention, hence his meetings with the JCF.

“We have already started discussions with the JCF to see how we can fast-track that [response] …What we want to do is to put some specialised officers as agricultural wardens in those areas that we know we have a challenge, so that we can provide greater support and greater deterrence,” he said.

Green spoke to the need to introduce technology like CCTV, as well as coordinating groups into farm watch bodies which, he said, is a fundamental priority needing a comprehensive approach.

He said that the penalties for praedial larceny need to be much stronger in order to deter farm thieves.

Green, in his earlier term as agriculture minister, after the 2020 General Election, had welcomed an amendment to the anti-gang legislation which provides harsher penalties for praedial larceny.

He said that the Criminal Justice (Suppression of Criminal Organisations) (Amendment) Act, 2021, correctly identifies the trends that exist in praedial larceny wherein many organised gangs are involved in the crime.

“This move to enable these matters to be brought under the anti-gang legislation indicates that this Government is serious about taking the strongest steps possible to combat the crime of praedial larceny,” he argued at the time.

The amendments include making larceny of cattle and killing animals with the intent to steal serious offences, for which people who are part of criminal organisations can now be charged. Penalties can go up to 20 years for the first conviction on indictment.

Green said this was another indication of the zero-tolerance approach being taken by the Government to the crime and a significant step in protecting the livelihoods of farmers.

In May this year Green’s predecessor, Pearnel Charles Jr, during his presentation to the Sectoral Debate in Parliament, had said that consideration is being given to increase the fine for praedial larceny to at least $5 million.

In January 2022 Charles Jr had said that the agriculture ministry, through the Praedial Larceny Prevention Unit, was pursuing several strategies to combat the illegal activity.

“[It] will be one of the issues of importance that we will tackle, because if we don’t get this right, we cannot and will not have a sustainable agricultural [sector],” the State news agency, Jamaica Information Service, had reported him as saying at the virtual praedial larceny essay and jingle competition awards ceremony on January 21.