DENBIGH, Jamaica — Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness has mandated Minister of Agriculture Floyd Green to explore putting land into production to provide a constant supply of food for farm animals such as cattle and goats.

“I am particularly impressed with the small ruminants sector. We have heard talk about it and that there is potential to grow, but today I am finally seeing it reaching that threshold where it is about to take off. The quality of the animals that were on display is a clear sign of the investment that have been made in genetics, and it would appear that most of the investment is more on the genetic and breeding side,” Holness said after visiting the small ruminants booth at the Denbigh Agricultural and Industrial Food Show on Sunday.

He spoke of the need to start looking at hay as a crop, and the role Government can play in making that happen.

“Minister, I am publicly sending to you a policy direction that you should pursue. Minister, let’s start working on that — and I’m sure the members of the small ruminants association would be very happy to hear that the Government of Jamaica will now move to support forage production,” said the prime minister.

Holness sought to show how the production of hay is linked to meat production.

“Where we really need the investment is on the meat side and the expansion of the meat side. Forage is a big issue and we need to start looking at hay as a crop in and of itself because there is a demand for it. There is quite a bit of land here that could very well be brought into forage production very quickly. The SCJ [Sugar Company of Jamaica] could start to look at this as the next step to support the development of the small ruminants sector and to support our cattle sector as well,” he said.

The prime minister also told farmers they can expect to see greater returns on their investment as a result of the renewed focus on stemming praedial larceny. The Jamaica Constabulary Force’s Agricultural Protection Branch was launched on June 13 of this year. It operates through a network of agricultural protection units deployed across the JCF’s five area commands.

“One thing in agriculture that has been a real obstacle is the inability, for years, for our small farmers to have security in their agriculture. Aside from the reform of the laws to increase the penalties, we have reformed the policing element of it where we have created a branch within the JCF — headed by an assistant commissioner — whose job it is to mobilise all the resources of the JCF to focus on this problem of praedial larceny. And you’re going to see great results,” Holness vowed.

“In fact, farmers are already reporting great results. They are very pleased with the systems that have been put in place, including the system of registering animals — the tagging and tracking and all of that is having a positive impact on agriculture” the prime minister maintained.