The Virgin Islands Department of Agriculture will conduct an orientation meeting for farmers in the St. Thomas-St. John district who are interested in participating in the WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (WIC FMNP). The meeting will be held from 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 4, at the Small Business Development Center Training Facility in Nisky Center.
The meeting will provide a platform to review and discuss the WIC FMNP, and share information regarding procedures and requirements for participation.
“I encourage all farmers to attend the meeting and learn about this program which contributes to economic development and the improvement of community health. The WIC FMNP represents a new market opportunity for farmers and, therefore, an additional source of revenue for the farming community,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Louis E. Petersen Jr. Ph.D.
The program is a federally-funded initiative, which was introduced to the territory in 2011. The Department of Agriculture applied for and received a grant award for the territory-wide implementation of the program, in partnership with the Department of Health. The WIC FMNP provides supplemental funding for WIC participants to purchase fresh, locally grown produce from farmers’ markets and farm stands.
The WIC FMNP has already been successfully launched in the district of St. Croix. This scheduled meeting represents the next step in expanding the program and its benefits to producers and WIC participants on St. Thomas and St. John.
For additional information, contact the Department of Agriculture at 778-0998, ext. 239.