Basseterre, St. Kitts, November 14, 2020 (SKNIS): Minister with responsibility for Agriculture, the Honourable Alexis Jeffers, expressed gratitude to the Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine for handing over new breeds of cattle and sheep to the Department of Agriculture, noting that it represents a continuation of the excellent partnership that exists between the school and the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis. 

The minister expressed this during the handing over ceremony between the Department of Agriculture and Ross University on November 12 at Mansion village.

“This partnership you have heard the Dean speak about is nothing new. If I were to reflect on 2017 after those two hurricanes that would have affected our region, you could recall that the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis would have played its part in ensuring the partnership with the Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine and offered some safe havens to students from other islands to students who would have carried on with their studies,” said Minister Jeffers.

He added, “The initiative this morning tells me that there is always a good thing to give back and what is testimony this morning is the fact that Ross University is using the students who are there and also the entire institution to lend their expertise towards the development of our breeding stock here in the Federation.”

Commenting on the significance of the donation, the minister said, “If we were to use the conventional way of breeding or providing offspring here in terms of the beef industry, it would take a very long time,” he said. “But to introduce a new breed, to increase the prolific nature of production, you do need some expert help and you do need some new and innovative ways of doing things.”

Minister Jeffers said that the effort that has been exerted by the Ross University is one that is being embraced by the Federation and hopes that this initiative translates to increases in meat production.
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