Agriculture

Proposed $230 Billion USDA Cuts Could Threaten Food Assistance for Virgin Islanders, Plaskett Warns at Agrifest

During Saturday's opening ceremony for this year's Agriculture and Food Fair on St. Croix, V.I. Delegate to Congress Stacey Plaskett reiterated Agriculture Commissioner Louis Petersen's call for improving local food security, warning that many safety-net programs relied on by Virgin Islanders may become less accessible under proposed federal budget cuts. The upcoming Congressional budget budget includes $230 billion in proposed cuts to the U.S. Department of Agriculture over the course of 10 years, a move that could impact school meal programs, SNAP benefits, and food aid for low-income students and families. “We here in the Virgin Islands, we don't just need to tighten our belts,” Plaskett said. “That's austerity measures that we know we need, but we need to create self-sufficiency, food security, to come up with innovative ways that we will make up that gap for our students and for our elders.” Plaskett referenced the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), a program that enables sc...