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With financial help from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, the Jamaica Pig Farmers' Association (JPFA) has been laying the groundwork to grow the pig population and improve and maintain standards in pork production and processing.
With US$37,000 from the FAO over the past year it has undertaken a number of initiatives, including identification and registration of pig farmers islandwide, with a view to encouraging membership in its 23 parish chapters.
With pork accounting for 40 per cent of meat consumed globally through some 52 products and by-products, Angella Bardowell, immediate past-president of the association, is confident her association's due diligence will pay off when its 'A Healthy Choice' marketing campaign kicks off. Over the past nine years, it has promoted modernisation of piggery operations and introduced new technologies. However, it has been unable to get an accurate count of the number of pig farmers and their animals, a situation it is anticipating will be addressed by a census to be conducted by the Bodles Research Centre of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.
The Gleaner/ Jamaica.
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/
