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| FFA Presidents Clemon Lewis and Tressel Benjamin address the crowd. |
The future of agriculture in the Virgin Islands was on stage as the presidents of the Future Farmers of America (FFA) organizations on St. Thomas addressed the crowd at the opening ceremony of the 30th Annual St. Thomas-St. John Agriculture and Food Fair on Saturday, Nov. 16. Tressel Benjamin, from of the Charlotte Amalie High School Chapter, and Clemon Lewis from Ivanna Eudora Kean High School were on hand. Lewis also had the honor of cutting the ribbon officially opening the two-day fair.
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Charles Leonard encouraged fairgoers
to visit St. Thomas' various farmers' markets
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Produce and livestock, and a wide variety of arts and crafts, were the focus of the 2013 St. Thomas/St. John Agriculture and Food Fair held on the grounds of UVI’s Reichhold Center for the Arts on St. Thomas. This year’s theme was "Celebrating our 30th – Investing in Nutrition and Good Health." St. Thomas farmers Cyril LaPlace and Charles Leonard were honored as the livestock and crop farmers of the year, respectively, for 2013. Leonard, one of St. Thomas' most successful farmers, also won the award last year. The winners in the fair's best tasting sweetbread contest were Senator Myron Jackson, who took first place, and Ellen Murraine who took second place.
The St. Thomas/St. John Agriculture and Food Fair is sponsored annually by the University of the Virgin Islands Cooperative Extension Service (CES) and the Virgin Islands Department of Agriculture, with support from Fintrac.
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Clemon Lewis, President of the Ivanna Eudora Kean High School FFA organization joined opening
ceremony dignitaries to cut the ribbon opening the 2013 St. Thomas-St. John Agriculture and Food Fair. |
