The Virgin Islands Department of Agriculture (VIDOA) invites all interested farmers and chefs to participate in the upcoming Virgin Fresh Farmer-Chef Market Day, which will take place from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 7, at the marketing building at the Rudolph Shulterbrandt Agriculture Complex in Estate Lower Love, St. Croix.
“The purpose of this activity is to provide an opportunity and outlet for consumers, especially restaurant chefs, to purchase locally harvested fruits, vegetables, meats, herbs and other farm fresh products. The market day experience will serve as a pre-event to the Crucian Fusion – Traditional Gone Gourmet CHANT food event that is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 9, at the Fort Frederik Museum in Frederiksted, St. Croix,” said Agriculture Commissioner Louis Petersen.
Through the Virgin Fresh Marketing campaign, chefs participating in the Crucian Fusion activity are encouraged to purchase their cooking ingredients from local farmers, Petersen added, according to a press release issued Thursday by the V.I. Department of Agriculture.
Petersen added that the Department of Agriculture is proud to sponsor this activity. “As a part of the department’s Virgin Fresh Marketing campaign this event definitely contributes to economic development in the territory by supporting local agribusinesses and strengthening marketing networks between producers and consumers,” he said.
“The Virgin Fresh Farmer-Chef Market Day marks the culmination of a project which was funded by a USDA Agriculture Marketing Service grant awarded to the VI Department of Agriculture to improve linkages between producers and buyers,” Petersen said. “It is our hope that these linkages, once established, are fruitful and long-lasting.”
Funding from the grant award will be used to issue approximately $2,000 worth of Virgin Fresh purchase coupons to restaurant chefs for the exclusive purpose of shopping at the Virgin Fresh Farmer-Chef Market Day event.
The deadline for registering for this event is Friday, Dec. 2. There is no charge for participation.
For more information or to register to participate, call Audrey Browne at 778-0997, ext. 228.
