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Penn suggests USDA certification for BVI agricultural produce

This story has been updated to reflect changes requested by the Leader of Opposition

Leader of the Opposition Marlon Penn said the Virgin Islands should look into getting local produce certified by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). 

In his contribution to the debate on the Food Security and Sustainability Bill introduced in the House of Assembly yesterday, Penn said USDA certified food could help with the ease of exportation and trade of agricultural products from the territory. 

“I am happy the bill has aspects to it that speaks to certification. We need to look at the possibility of USDA certified products in the BVI. It gives us the opportunity to export on a larger scale into the USVI and other regions that could support and grow these industries,” Penn said. 

The Opposition Leader said while it is important to think of small scale development to support and sustain the people of the territory, it is also pertinent that the government looks for opportunities in the foreign market. 

“We have to start thinking beyond BVI and the matter of developing for just our local population which is important. We need to get to the point where we don’t need to import much of the supplies we need as a territory, but we need to look at our businesses to be global businesses. Businesses that look beyond the shores of the Virgin Islands in terms of developing these critical components and economic development for our country,” Penn added. 

Enforcing Legislation  

The Leader of the Opposition said while enacting legislation is a good thing, there needs to be more action afterwards to ensure it is properly enforced to benefit the people of the Virgin Islands. 

“We do things that are in the best interest of our people in these critical industries and the issue of food security is more than just a buzzword but more of an action. Legislations are good, we have tonnes of it on our books, but we have to ensure that once we pass these legislations, they are enforced and put to action,” Penn said. 

Partnership For Development 

In his contribution, Penn also noted the Act seeks to create a regulatory body for the Agricultural Department. He added that the government must look at ways where the regulatory body could create and generate revenues for itself.  

“The authority could be [self]-sustaining; where they could share technical resources from their partners, where they could form relationships with already established regulatory authorities where we don’t necessarily have to outfit the entire suite of these areas on the ground … [and] where we have relationships so we can focus on the main objectives which are planting food, growing a poultry business or livestock business and focus on the actual production of food in the territory,” Penn stated.  

He noted that once the bill reaches the committee stage of the House, the government could look to find and develop a level of synergy with other countries and territories in the region that already have an established agricultural industry. He added that these countries already have structures for decades that the Virgin Islands is trying to replicate and partnership with them could help to develop the territory. 

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22 Comments

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  1. Citizen says:

    Why are you lookin to the US, when the UK has the best Agriculture and Fisheries? Some people just stupid.

    Like 34
  2. LMAO says:

    Marlon drink the green juice? WTF???? FDA certification? Export food from the BVI?? Jesus Christ what are these guys on?

    Like 44
  3. The Truth says:

    lol Jesus Christ

  4. ?? says:

    No Way, Hosea! Not the FDA! They approved the poison we taking now! Are you crazy!

    Like 18
  5. Reality says:

    A real agricultural/food production facility would stretch from Slaney to Baughers Bay so what are these guys talking about? Export requires crazy volumes, huge land space and low costs none of which you will find here in the BVI.

    Like 30
  6. Miss says:

    There are farmers in America that can’t afford the fda certification I doubt our farmers here will be able to afford it

    Like 13
    • but.. says:

      but what farming they taking about.. i never see any garden here bigger than a back yard garden.. what they producing so much of that we have enough to export.. please tell.

  7. Well sah says:

    This man coming up with all sorts of nonesense that are so far fetched? FDA approval for what? Do we have sufficient produce to export? Stop trying to be relevant and focus on what is needed/ needs to be done. I cant see this man as premier. Like the 8th, noting will be done. NEXT!!

    Like 27
  8. Lodger says:

    I thought the idea was to feed ourselves, so why do we need FDA. Do they approve the produce we get from down island?

    Like 23
  9. Monsanto seeds says:

    FDA is a puppet for big agricultural conglomerates!! Do these guys ever do their own research or just regurgitate what they hear in a run bar? Mehn..we are suffering from an intellectual drought with drivel spewing daily! Uggggh!

    Like 16
    Dislike 1
  10. Monsanto seeds says:

    FDA is a puppet for big agricultural conglomerates!! Do these guys ever do their own research or just regurgitate what they hear in a run bar? Mehn..we are suffering from an intellectual drought with drivel spewing daily! Uggggh!

    Like 11
    Dislike 1
  11. NDP supporter says:

    Marlon is a waste of time. He needs to go.

  12. 1EYE says:

    FDA????? This is exactly why Penn isnt ready to lead and the NDP think tank had to go.
    USA FDA is one of the biggest frauds out there!!! Be quiet when you don’t have anything to say dude. And support what is being done well even if it isn’t your government. B/c That is some FOOLISHNESS that you uttered.

    Like 13
  13. Export ? says:

    We can’t even feed ourselves, what we exporting?

    Like 14
  14. BS! says:

    No Marlon. No.

  15. Crazy Idea says:

    Go down the market and by 10 O’clock no body there, the little high priced stuff they have all sell off. Even at the high price you cannot even supply 10% of our local market but you talking export. I rode for 20 minutes on a train through one orange field on both sides of the track. This is like from town to East End. We don’t have water, you don’t have land, you don’t have flat land, you don’t have machinery and you cannot get a work permit for some one to work on a farm. Is this guy crazy? He thinks you just write a letter to the FDA and ask for approval and it is granted just like that.

  16. Nationhood says:

    Everything gotta ve US! Mehson we aint a US territory.

  17. Dummy says:

    And this is our choice for leadership. I am not going to the poll. No no no. This is just crazy. Imagine I live district 8 and have to vote for this. All you know tired. Every little thing these politicians pick up on the internet them want throw at people. FDA you own food boss not I.

  18. Kingfish says:

    I guess we will be exporting the cuttings from the bush cutters. you know those small contracts awarded to cut the bush from by the roadways.

  19. Good idea says:

    Penn did not say anything about exporting to USA mainland. BVI used to export foods to the USVI, there is no reason we cannot start doing this again. And we would need FDA certification for that.

    Some people just love being negative.

  20. Fish says:

    Lets supply our local market first. Cannot even get a fresh fish to buy.

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