The Commissioner of Agriculture for the Virgin Islands Department of Agriculture (VIDA), Mr. Louis E. Petersen, and FSA VI District Director, Mark Carlton advises the farming community that livestock producers on St. Croix and St. Thomas are now eligible to apply for direct assistance through the FSA’s Livestock Forage Program (LFP). LFP assistance begins when severe drought (D2) lasts 8 weeks or more, with payments increasing when an exceptional drought (D4) threshold is reached as it earlier this year on St. Croix.
We are also requesting that all livestock deaths, due to the drought and high temperature index be reported to the local Farm Service Agency (FSA) located at 4401 Sion Farms, Suite 2, Christiansted.
Additionally, USDA FSA is accepting applications for crop production losses associated with the drought, but only for those farmers who had previously signed up in the Non-Insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) in December of 2022.
FSA is moving expeditiously to make payments available to all approved farmers.
For further information on the LFP, NAP, and other programs, please make an appointment with Madison Charles, USDA FSA Program Technician in Charge, at telephone number 340-773-9146 x100.