From Ministry of Planning, Agriculture, Housing and Infrastructure

Grand Cayman – Government has allocated $3 million dollars in relief support for commercial farmers impacted by the recent passage of Tropical Storm Grace.

The Tropical Storm Grace Farmer’s Assistance Project is aimed at providing assistance to commercial farmers who suffered loss of income or livestock, damage to crops and farm infrastructure and are in need of financial support and agricultural inputs necessary to recover from loss and damage sustained as a result of the storm.

Minister of Agriculture Hon. Jay Ebanks stated that the support being provided by Government is an immediate input to aid in the quick recovery of the agricultural sector. “This farmers’ assistance project will help to provide supplemental income to cover labour costs and purchase agricultural inputs for commercial farmers who suffered as a result of the storm. It is our hope that many of our farmers will be able to resuscitate their production and continue to strengthen their resilience and further bolster the Islands food and nutrition security”.

Assessments of the losses and damage reported by the farmers will be conducted by representatives from the Department of Agriculture and the Ministry of Planning, Housing, Agriculture and Infrastructure as part of the award of assistance under the project. Assistance to farmers will be paid in two tranches and capped at a maximum for each farm.

Application for the Tropical Storm Grace Farmers’ Assistance Project will be open from October 1 to October 15.

The overall eligibility requirements and application process is as follows:

·         Applicants must be commercial farmers – crops/livestock/both;

·         Applicants must submit a completed application form along with required supporting documents;

·         Applicant must submit copy of commercial farmer’s ID card issued by Department of Agriculture; where no farmer’s ID available, a letter from Department of Agriculture approving status;

·         Valid Cayman Islands Government issued identification;

·         Applicants will be subjected to assessment by representatives from Department of Agriculture and Ministry of Planning, Agriculture, Housing and Infrastructure.

Forms are available at the Department of Agriculture or via https://www.gov.ky/news/press-release-details/3m-for-ts-grace-farmers-assistance. Completed application forms can be emailed to [email protected] or dropped off in an envelope addressed to: TS Grace Farmers’ Assistance Committee at the Department of Agriculture, Lower Valley, Bodden Town or the Government Administration Building on Elgin Avenue.

Interested persons may contact (345) 947-3090, 244-2412 or email [email protected] for further information.