Dear Source:
Most people know that November is my second favorite month; the first being February, the month of the St. Croix Agricultural Fair. While St. Thomas' Agricultural Fair doesn't approach the scale of St. Croix's, St. Thomas' Department of Agriculture (DOA), the Agriculture Fair Board (AFB) and UVI's Extension Services are working on expanding the Fair.
More farmers would be able to participate in the Fair if the DOA and the AFB provided the means for them to transport livestock or plants to the Fair ground. Farmers could also use help with feed, as attending the Fair also means transporting hay and grain for livestock. Cost associated with transporting livestock and feed cuts into any profit farmers may realize by participating in the Fair. St. Thomas should model St. Croix, where transportation and feed for livestock are made available for farmers by their DOA, Fair Board and UVI Extension Services. Special mention needs to be made of the efforts of Ms. Sue Lakoes, Board member, for all the help she has provided to me and other St. Croix farmers who participate in their Agriculture Fair.
Another way that the DOA can help farmers is by providing help with the growing problem of dogs attacking and killing farmers' investment in livestock.
This month, the Berry's of Mandal lost their entire herd to dog attacks. Such attacks are not as uncommon as most people think. Many farmers who are victims of such attacks no longer report these incidents to the police. Reports to the DOA rarely result in farmers receiving any help. The Human Society had been able to provide some help by making traps to farmers to catch these dogs. Once captured, these animals can be taken to the shelter. When dogs attacked livestock on my farm, Mrs. Fisher of the Humane Society responded, visiting the dogs' owner in an effort to find a solution to the problem. On another occasion, when dogs attacked, I trapped the dogs and took them to the Humane Society. Unfortunately, a farmer on the North side reported trapping dogs and taking them to the Humane Society only to have the dogs returned to continue their attacks! Farmers cannot continue to sustain such loses to their investment. If help is not provided by the DOA, the police or the Human Society, farmers will turn to less humane means of resolving their problem.
I am proposing a more active role on the part of the DOA in providing some relief to farmers who lose livestock to dog attacks. Providing funds or low cost loans to assist in replacing livestock is a step in the right direction. Farmers should be able to claim such losses as write-offs on their taxes, or the VI Government should arrange some debt forgiveness formula for farmers who sustain such losses.
I encourage stronger collaboration between farmers and entities like the DOA, VIPD, and the Humane Society. Dialogs should be arranged where farmers can be heard; and concrete solutions made available to them.
Farming is hard enough without having to go thru obstacles like dog attacks.
Lawrence Boschulte
St. Thomas
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