Continental Baking gives $7m to help hurricane ravaged farms

Some 280 farmers whose livelihoods were severely disrupted by the passage of Hurricane Beryl in July are to each receive at least $25,000 towards land clearance or mechanical tillage of the soil.

The funds totalling $7 million, donated by Continental Baking Company Limited, was presented last Wednesday to Michael Pryce, chairman of the Hurricane Beryl Task Force, and Marina Young, chief executive officer of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), at a handover ceremony at the offices of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining at Hope Gardens in St Andrew.

Floyd Green, minister of agriculture, fisheries and mining, emphasised the importance of the gesture:

“People who are not so deeply passionate or understanding of agriculture will understand some of the other things, but do not realise that as a first step to recovery, what we are doing now in terms of providing support for land clearance and preparation is very important,” he said.

“The other thing from downed trees is that, unfortunately, a lot of trees, a lot of the zinc, a lot of the board are now across farms, literally. So a lot of the farmers who want to go back out, start their process of planting again, are unable to so do, because they would need to have the resources to get labour to come and take off those debris from their lands,” Green said.

“Clearly, when we do clean-ups, we do the roadways, not necessarily farmlands. So a lot of people have been unable to get back out, because they’re unable to pay for this clean-up process. So this is why land preparation and clearance support is so critical,” he said.

He said that around 390 hectares of farmlands need to be replanted.

LAND PREPARATION PROGRAMME

Following the passage of Hurricane Beryl a month ago, there was damage to all crops across the island, primarily in the parishes of Clarendon, Manchester and St Elizabeth.

Jamaica lost around 85 per cent of banana and plantain crops in Portland and St Mary, but for the southern parishes, vegetable and tubers such as cassava were mainly impacted. Additionally, damage was done to fruit trees islandwide, such as ackee, breadfruit and other fruits across the island. Significant damage to greenhouses islandwide was also recorded.

As at August, estimates indicate that the island’s agricultural sector suffered over $6 billion in damage due to the passage of Hurricane Beryl.

Gary ‘Butch’ Hendrickson, chairman of Continental Baking Company, was moved after seeing the devastation Hurricane Beryl caused to the crops and livelihood of farmers and, by extension, their families and made the decision to donate the $7 million.

His son, Craig Hendrickson, director of marketing and sales at Continental Baking Company, and who represented Hendrickson senior at the handover, said:

“When Dad told me that he wanted to be able to give back, and we were told of the land preparation programme that was developed for the affected farmers, it was a no-brainer to partner with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, and by extension, the Rural Agricultural Development Authority, to assist 280 farmers and enable the clearance of 112 hectares of land, and with each farmer receiving $25,000 towards either land clearance or mechanical tillage of their soil.”

“I think it’s something good for us. We are fortunate to have been able to give back, and this is a good way for us to help our country,” he said.

HARDEST HIT

Green said the $7-million gift speaks volume of the magnitude of Butch Hendrickson’s thoughts towards others in need.

He shared that Hendrickson contacted him a day after the hurricane passed to inquire how he could help farmers, and ultimately, Jamaica’s food security.

“I’m very happy that we are doing this form of handing over. I know that Continental/National Baking Company does a lot of work quietly, and the support that you give to so many different companies and entrepreneurs and initiatives like this, I think, is important, because it inspires other people to do [likewise] this sort of corporate social responsibility for the right reasons,” Green said.

Continental Baking Company’s donation will target those in the country’s breadbasket parish of St Elizabeth, which was hardest hit.

ainsworth.morris@gleanerjm.com