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Charlotte Amalie
Thursday, March 28, 2024
HomeNewsArchivesCFCS Conference Attendees Tour Farms on St. Croix

CFCS Conference Attendees Tour Farms on St. Croix

About a dozen folks attending the Caribbean Food Crops Society Conference on St. Thomas flew to St. Croix for quick tours of select farms and the University of the Virgin Islands Agricultural Experiment Station.

The 13 people touring Sejah Farm on Thursday were part of the CFCS annual meeting held to discuss production, marketing and policy issues affecting agriculture in the Caribbean.

Sejah Farm is situated on what looks like a savanna out of Africa with acacia trees in flower scattered throughout fenced areas with a large herd of goats grazing.

“We’re here to borrow and share ideas,” said Chandra Reddy, research director at the Tennessee State University College of Agriculture. “We can collaborate and help educate the young and willing work force that’s here.”

Reddy explained it is a unique conference because the 18 universities involved are Land Grant Universities that primarily cater to minorities and have a special interest in island-agriculture industry.

Teferi Tsegaye, assistant vice president and dean of the College of Agriculture at Kentucky State University, said it was his second tour of Sejah Farm. “I’m really impressed with the improvements and how this farm has grown,” Tsegaye said.

Dale Browne, owner and operator of Sejah Farm, explained to the group gathered in the shade of his farm stand of the farm’s involvement in agriculture development and production on the island of St. Croix.

He spoke about the farm’s efforts to move the industry forward through collaboration with local and national organizations and the efforts to gain community involvement that make agriculture and farming possible and viable.

Browne and his wife Yvette farm three acres of vegetable crops and have 12 acres in livestock production in Castle Burke.

The tour also included Aberra Bulbulla Tropical Fruit Orchard, where Bulbulla has planted more than 300 fruit trees on his four acres of land; Frandan Farm, a 70-acre farm producing primarily goats and mangos; Tropics Hydroponic Farm, where owner Brian McCullough grows tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers and zucchini.

They also toured Diageo and the St. George Village Botanical Garden.

Stafford Crossman, assistant director of Agriculture and Natural Resources at UVI Cooperative Extension, helped organize the educational tour and activities on St. Croix.

More than 200 agriculturists representing 22 countries met on St. Thomas this week at the Sugar Bay Resort and Spa for the CFCS 50th annual meeting. The theme of the conference is “Enhancing Family Farms through Sustainable Energy, Research, and Technology.”

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