The island's beef and dairy industries have been disintegrating over the years. Now, some stakeholders are lobbying for the re-development of these two agricultural sub-sectors. In continuation of our special focus on agriculture, we present excerpts of their arguments and views of the problems affecting the cattle sub-sector.

Balteano Duffus - general secretary, Beef and Dairy Producers Association

A couple months ago, Beef and Dairy Producers Association (BADPAJ), had their consultation with farmers islandwide and beef farmers told us that the issue that is most pressing to them at this time is this whole business of cattle theft, and the impression that they gave us was that they do not believe that the Government is doing enough and that the Government takes it seriously.

The problem that the farmers are having, which was reported to me yesterday morning (August 29), is that when they go to the police, the police treat the matter very tritely. Something has to be done very quickly about this situation.

Something has been presented to the minister from the Beef and Dairy Farmers Producers Association, and I would not want to pre-empt and to start discussing what has been proposed. We would be looking at working with the police, the justice system and also this whole thing about before you can kill a head of cattle you have got to get, you know, some certificate written up, signed up by the public health and the police.

Robin Crum Ewing - owner of the Green Castle Estate, Annotto Bay, St Mary

I think we don't even want to call it praedial larceny because it's far more serious than that, not that I am downplaying praedial larceny. I think we are looking at between $60 to $80 million worth of cattle that was lost in 2005.

Personally, we have lost at Green Castle Estate 11 head so far this year. It is probably the major thing that is coming out of meetings that have been held around the island.

I think that the beef and dairy sectors have undergone very serious, serious downturn in recent years. I think that I would have to feel as an optimist that the corner is being turned now and with the formation of the Beef and Dairy Farmer Producers Association, I have to hope that we will be able to re-energise the whole business of beef and dairy farming. So much depends upon the attitude and support coming from Government as facilitator (as well as) the efforts being made to curb cattle theft.

Jasmin Holness - deputy director of research in the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands

I think also the awareness of the public in terms of ensuring that whenever you buy meat that it is of good quality. Because, for instance, some of the animals that probably are stolen may have got medication within a two-week period. They might be suffering from a fever.

Normally, you would not slaughter an animal that has a fever. How do we know as consumers as we go into the marketplace and purchase what we are getting? So also, in terms of reducing the level of praedial larceny, the consumer also has to be a part of that whole process. I demand quality meat and I am ensuring that it is certified meat.

Norman Williams - Animal nutritionist

"One aspect of how you possibly could deal with this is through the development of a proper abattoir in Jamaica. Because if you have a proper abattoir in Jamaica then you can put pressure on the demand side, the people who are actually purchasing this product. And say now, 'Look, if beef is found in your place don't have a stamp that says certified whatever, you are in trouble.

We are going to take away the beef from you and we are going to watch you more closely and we going to pressure you more, or we gwine lock you up.' So what we really have to do is look at who is doing the buying, and don't tell me that that is impossible."

Donovan Stanberry - permanent secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands

The Praedial Larceny Act and the whole registration of farmers, many people scoff at it and really ridicule it, and it's very sad. It might not be perfect but it represents an attempt to deal with a serious problem and it underlies a serious appreciation of the problem. I mean we are revolving to perfection and anything that would enhance, we would certainly look at it.

What I hear today is very revealing. Frankly, it is something we have to do. I want to say though, and the policy formulation, we are not abdicating our responsibility, but policy formulation is not somebody sit down in the ministry and just write, it's bore nosed interaction, and we are quite willing to engage.