New Rota agri advisory council cormed

On Rota, every farmer has a unique combination of resources to use to be a successful farmer. Some farmers have lush soil, some have an abundance of water, and some have numerous laborers. Each farmer’s success lies in the quality and quantity of his or her produce and the prices they receive in the markets when they sell their agricultural products.

The Northern Marianas College CNMI Cooperative Research, Extension and Education Service (NMC-CNMI CREES) offers Rota residents a chance to voice their needs for services.

Jim Currie, the NMC-CNMI CREES Rota coordinator, and Bill Hocog of DLNR established a new Rota Agricultural Advisory Council to listen to the concerns and suggestions of Rota farmers. The information will be used to help focus the NMC-CNMI CREES Rota programs around the actual needs of Rota farmers.

Mr. Currie and Dr. Marlin Van Der Veen, CNMI-CREES director, welcomed the members of the Farmers Council to the first session and discussed the purpose of the council.

Among their concerns were: 1) marketing their produce; 2) improving the quality of their produce through grading, packaging, proper storage, transportation and processing; 3) educating the community that buying local produce is healthier; 4) disciplining illegal competitors; 5) establishing a centrally controlled farmer’s market; and 6) developing connections in markets with a huge customer base, such as the U.S. military. The first task of the council is to establish a mission statement to help guide the work of the council throughout its existence.

The NMC-CNMI CREES offered assistance to Rota by hiring a food scientist/technologist to assist in the improvement of the quality of produce and processing.

Dr. Van Der Veen underscored the importance of hiring a full-time marketing extension agent and a food technician who will concentrate on the concerns of the farmers. The marketing extension agent will be tasked to establish new markets, improve the farmers marketing efforts and strategically design a marketing plan for the farmers of Rota as well as the CNMI. The food technician will help the farmers produce other products such as sauces, processed foods and many other useful and marketable items.

The current council members are Felix Flawau; Severina Ogo, Rota campus administrator; Ted Seamen, Rota Ag teacher; Jim Currie, NMC CNMI-CREES Rota coordinator; Frank Calvo; Pedro Q. Delacruz, former director of CNMI DLNR and secretary of commerce; Bill Hocog, director of Rota DLNR; Fr. Antonelli, vice chair; and Nick Songsong, chair.