Nov. 15, 2006 — The V.I. Farmers Cooperative (VIFC) will soon begin work on a feasibility study to determine the most profitable types of agriculture the territory can produce.
Co-op members recently traveled to Atlanta, Ga., to the offices of the Southern Federation of Cooperatives (SFC) to meet with consultants and sign contracts specifying the consultants' roles in shaping the future of agriculture for the territory.
In response to the dwindling V.I. agricultural market, VIFC acquired a Small Minority Producer Grant, worth more than $170,000, to determine the best types of agriculture for the territory.
The more than 700 acres on Estate Grange and Windsor Farms will be the area of study. SFC will begin its study on Nov. 27 to decide the most profitable mix of dairy, livestock and produce in the area.
"The SFC consultants will be here to view and determine the best use for the property," said VIFC President Dale Brown.
The feasibility study is the first step in VIFC's plans for V.I. agriculture. The second step will take place in January when Edward Hardwood, a dairy specialist from Ithaca, N.Y., with 30 years of experience in the industry, will be in the territory to complete a marketing study using the results of the feasibility study. Brown said Hardwood's study would assess proper marketing strategies for the most profitable agricultural products as determined by the feasibility study.
Organic Valley Cooperative, a national organic co-operative of over 600 family farms that distributes its products throughout the United States, has been enlisted to aid in the marketing plan for the territory. "They will develop a structure of where, how and when to deliver products to the market," Brown said.
VIFC, collaborating with UVI's Cooperative Extension Service (CES) will begin training farmers to utilize the information obtained by the studies. Beginning in December, V.I. farmers will be given a series of short courses on crop and livestock production, animal health, and farm management. UVI will also be in charge of completing a three-year business plan "providing [VIFC] with time to raise capital and everything needed to make this a successful venture," Brown said.
CES District Supervisor Louis Petersen said one of the major stumbling blocks for the territory's farmers is modern technology. "Without modern technology, we are not going anywhere," Petersen said. "The university is in the forefront of providing farmers with research-based information to improve their yields and increase efficiency."
CES will be enlisting the aid of the Department of Agriculture and Agriculture Experiment Station for the series of short courses to be offered to area farmers. Petersen said the courses would make farmers aware of the modern technology available to them and emphasize modern business procedures, such as record keeping and computer literacy.
Petersen said the feasibility study would not delay the education of farmers. "Regardless of the outcome of the study, farmers will have a broad background to improve on or change already tried methods," he said.
Brown said the courses are designed to offer farmers a more productive future. "We expect that the short courses will enable farmers to have more business sense and aid farmers in looking at their farms as a business."
Petersen said farmers would have the first opportunity to attend the free courses offered by CES, yet interested members of the public are welcome to attend the courses if space is available.
For more information on the courses and availability of seating, contact UVI's Cooperative Extension Services on St. Croix at 642-4080 or on St. Thomas at 693-1071.
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