Following last Thursday’s emergency visit by a team from the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries to three farms in Manchester, operated by UC Rusal, an emergency meeting was convened this morning with high-level ministry personnel and members of the UC Rusal management team, along with representatives from the Jamaica Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (JSPCA), to discuss the poor treatment of cattle at the properties.

The findings from the assessment that had been conducted, as well as an emergency plan which had been implemented to alleviate the conditions of the affected animals, were examined. Additionally, discussions were held around the repercussions of the inhumane conditions under which the approximately 400 animals in question were held.

ACTION ITEMS

Coming out of the meeting, a decision was taken to institute the following:

1. The company has been mandated to take immediate steps to remedy the conditions under which the animals are kept. A two-week deadline was given for UC Rusal to stabilise the animals via prophylactic treatment and supportive therapy and then update the agriculture ministry and JSPCA on the progress of the herd. A team from the ministry and JSPCA will be closely monitoring the situation.
2. Pending the stabilisation period, if the monitoring team is not satisfied that adequate actions were taken to alleviate the situation on site, the animals will be confiscated and placed in a government-monitored quarantine facility and treated with the appropriate remediation.
3. The JSPCA will give further consideration to laying charges under their corresponding act (the Cruelty to Animals Act) on UC Rusal.
4. Arrangements have been made through the Agro Investment Corporation (AIC) and the Jamaica Dairy Development Board (JDDB) to provide supplemental feeding support with fodder and nutrients.
5. Further, UC Rusal has committed to providing the monitoring team with a detailed medium- and long-term management plan to include the necessary training support assisted by the Rural Agricultural Development Agency (RADA) and the JDDB, to prevent any such reoccurrence in the foreseeable future.

The ministry said it was committed to working with the company and other stakeholders in the dairy and beef sectors to ensure the continued preservation of world-renowned, established breeds of cattle and the perseveration of the breeds is a critical plank in the expansion of the country’s food security strategy.