Puerto Rico LFPA Plus Executive Summary

The Department of Agriculture of Puerto Rico, together with its attached agencies, focuses its efforts on the full development of our Puerto Rican farmers. Our initial program experiences some difficulties with the Hurricane Fiona due our farmers lost their produce. Around thousands of boxes of food harvested by local farmers where bought. Non-profit organizations received this box of food and they delivered to help the most disadvantaged populations and in turn, help farmers with the sale of the crops that survived. We are at a critical period in our agriculture to get our farms back on track and continue to supply our population with food. Though this program and additional funding we want to promote local food consumption and build and expand economic opportunities for local and socially disadvantaged farmers. We intend to encourage the marketing of agricultural products by acquiring the crops of our small and socially disadvantaged farmers. The DA has analyzed and selected approximately 70 non-profit entities for the distribution up to 500,000 boxes of food in over two years. These boxes will contain an assortment of seasonal fruits with a maximum value of $30 per box. We intend to reach the socially disadvantaged, poor, and rural communities of our Island. In addition, we intend to promote the economic growth of our farmers by encouraging their marketing channels and distribution opportunities for their crops. These products will be available to pick up at one of its seven marketing centers around the Island.