Agricultural Production and Marketing in the Virgin Islands

Excerpts from the Preface: Public Law 228, 82d Congress, approved October 29, 1951 (26), authorized the Secretary of Agriculture to, "establish and maintain in the Virgin Islands of the United States an Agricultural research and extension service program." The 1953 appropriations for the Department of Agriculture included funds for the establishment of such programs and immediately after approval of this legislation, steps were taken to procure the facilities needed and to make other necessary arrangements. A review of the problems, needs, and potentialities of the agriculture and related resources of the Islands by appropriate subject matter specialists appeared to be desirable as a preliminary step in the development of a broad program for the agricultural station. This report summarizes the findings and recommendations of two representatives of the Bureau of Agricultural Economics, who in the fall of 1952 spent about 3 months in the Islands studying the agricultural situation. Principal objectives were to: (1) Identify conditions of an economic character which appear to be impeding full development of agricultural resources; (2) suggest problems related to specific enterprises or more general areas concerning which the physical science research and extension activities of the agricultural station should give particular stress; and (3) indicate general problems or beneficial programs relating to agriculture which are interagency or community-wide matters rather than in the direct sphere of activity of the station.