KINGSTON, Jamaica – The 2023 National Champion Farmer, Owen Bartley, is encouraging more people to get into goat farming, noting that the sector is profitable.

“Goat farming is so big. Right now, management and security are key; you have to have that as number one. If you are not managing the animals, you are not going to survive. You have to take care of your animals just like how you take care of yourself, and success will be there,” he said.

Bartley, who operates the Unity Boer Goat Farm in Manchester, was crowned the National Champion Farmer for the second time at the 69th Denbigh Agricultural, Industrial and Food Show held recently at the Denbigh Showground in May Pen, Clarendon.

For National Champion Greenhouse Farmer, Deandra Rowe, taking the title is a welcome boost after the “rough years” of COVID-19.

“It is a privilege to be acknowledged in this way because we took a blow during COVID. It feels good to be back on top,” she said

Rowe also placed second in the National Champion Farmer Competition and second in the Young Champion Farmer Competition. She is the managing director for the Manchester-based Abbey Garden Farm.

The National Champion Farmer Competition is one of the highlights of the annual Denbigh show.

The award is given based on several criteria, including the layout of the farm, quality of record keeping, efficiency, innovations in farming, capital management and marketing.

Farmers competing for the prize are grouped into categories according to the size of their properties.

Class A includes farms of one to 10 acres; Class B farms, 10 to 30 acres; Class C 30 to 60 acres; and Class D 100 acres and over.

The Champion Farmer receives cash and other prizes.

-JISl