Best Dressed Chicken last week handed over J$5 million in agricultural supplies to assist farmers in St. Catherine, Clarendon, and Manchester who were impacted by Hurricane Beryl.

The donation which included Hi-Pro Broiler and Pig feed, water boots, shade cloth and mesh wire, was a collaborative effort between the company and the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) which helped to identify farmers in need and coordinated the distribution for each parish.

In addressing the farmers, vice-president of Best Dressed Chicken, Dave Fairman, emphasized the crucial role that each small farmer plays in the local food supply chain and reaffirmed the company’s commitment to supporting them through this challenging period.

“As part of the agricultural community, The Best Dressed Chicken knows how important small farmers are to the sector and we are dedicated to supporting you, especially during these tough times. After hearing the Ministry of Agriculture’s call, we reached out to RADA to help us identify those of you most affected by Hurricane Beryl. We know this donation of farm supplies is just a small step in helping you rebuild, but we’re committed to uplifting our community and working towards a sustainable future together.”

The initiative benefitted over 80 farmers who experienced extensive damage to crops, livestock and infrastructure due to the hurricane. One farmer in St. Catherine expressed his gratitude for the timely assistance.

“The hurricane hit us hard. My pig pen was destroyed, and I lost 28 baby pigs which would roughly worth $336,000 if I had them to sell at that stage. So, I am really grateful to Best Dressed for the supplies as this will go a far way” said pig farmer Roy Morgan.

RADA deputy parish manager of St Catherine, Bryan Samuels, also expressed his appreciation to the company for the support to the farming community during the current crisis.

“Thanks to the Best Dressed Chicken for reaching out to offer assistance after the devastation caused by Hurricane Beryl to the agriculture sector. This initiative will help in getting the farmers off the ground and we at RADA will be here to offer technical assistance.”

Best Dressed Chicken continues to encourage other businesses and individuals to contribute to the recovery efforts and support the resilience of Jamaica’s agricultural sector.