In keeping with the Government of Grenada’s commitment to the farming community, compensation is being provided for cane farmers. On Thursday (December 16) Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture, Lands, Forestry and Fisheries Gregory Bowen presented cheques to President of the Grenada Cane Farmers Association Elliot Bishop and cane farmer Agnes Bailey Cuffie during a small ceremony at the Prime Minister’s Office. A total of 67 cane farmers are receiving cheques totalling $90,000. Minister Bowen noted that other farmers are receiving assistance to pay farm workers under the Agricultural Emergency Rehabilitation Project (AERP). “It is only fitting that during the same period you receive the benefits of a programme such as this. I want to take this opportunity to compliment the people in the Ministry of Agriculture, the cane farmers themselves and their leadership in working together to promote this payment and to look at the way forward to ensure that one day the farmers will be self sufficient in their undertakings,” Minister Bowen said. Mr. Bishop expressed appreciation on behalf of the Association and the cane farmers for the payment, noting the difficulties cane farmers have experienced in recent years. “This payment comes at a very opportune time for farmers, bearing in mind the passage of Hurricane Ivan. A lot of those farmers have lost their roof, their homes and need to buy school books and uniforms for their children,” he said. Mr. Bishop welcomed the suggestion by Minister Bowen that cane farmers should consider diversifying their operations to include other crops, and he expressed willingness to explore this in collaboration with theAssociation, farmers and the Ministry of Agriculture. Source: Ministry of Agriculture