Senate committee hears broad accounting of U.S. Virgin Islands agriculture needs and plans

The Committee on Economic Development and Agriculture spent several hours on April 16 hearing a wide-ranging update on the state of agriculture in the U.S. Virgin Islands from Commissioner Louis E. Peterson Jr., University of the Virgin Islands School of Agriculture leaders, nonprofit food-system groups and local farmers.

Committee members heard that the territory’s Department of Agriculture has maintained core services but faces persistent staffing and equipment shortages, an unstable inter-island slaughter capacity, and a backlog of expired farm leases that hamstring production and investment. “The mission of our agency is to develop, support, and promote an economically lucrative agricultural industry in The U.S. Virgin Islands,” Commissioner Louis E. Peterson Jr. told senators as he outlined the department’s divisions, recent purchases and outstanding gaps.

The testimony detailed both recent investments and continuing constraints. Agency staff said the department has used a portion of an allocated $10 million in ARPA recovery funds for infrastructure and equipment and estimated it has received roughly $3.5 million so far for specific projects including design work and purchases. The department reported completed and planned items that include a 200,000-gallon cistern project for Estate Bordeaux, new abattoir equipment and backhoe purchases for St. Thomas/St. John, and repair or replacement of abattoir systems on St. Croix.

Farmers and advocates emphasized how the gaps affect day-to-day…