U.S. Virgin Islands, January 30, 2026 – The Local Food and Farm Council’s (LFFC) popular TAP (Territorial Agricultural Plan) Grant Academy sessions will now offer attendees the opportunity to join in person at the University of the Virgin Islands’ St. Thomas and St. Croix campuses as well as virtually. The two remaining FREE hybrid sessions, scheduled on Friday, February 6 and Friday, March 6, address how to write grant-winning proposals and how to find grants, loans and other resources. The Academy is available to farmers, fishers, local organizations and those involved in food production interested in supporting food sovereignty in the US Virgin Islands, where currently 97% of the food supply is
imported.

Greater local food production provides the community with fresher, healthier and more affordable food while boosting the income of farmers, fishers, and local food businesses. It also avoids the added pollution and carbon footprint of shipping food into the territory. The priority of the TAP Grant Academy is to provide foundational knowledge that will move the needle on expanding food production in the territory through increased funding opportunities. Feedback from the first TAP Grant Academy session on January 16 has been excellent and the experience is now enhanced further with the option to join sessions in person.

Each Grant Academy session focuses on a distinct aspect of the process. Those interested must register in advance at https://bit.ly/TAPGrantAcademy and opt to join virtually or in person. They may also call 340-693-1003. The remaining sessions are as follows:

Friday, February 6, 2 – 4 pm AST
Writing Successful Grant Proposals

• Virtual attendance (link provided to those who register as detailed above)
• St. Croix – UVI – Research & Technology Park, Albert A. Sheen Campus, 64 West, Large Conference Center
• St. Thomas – UVI – Orville E. Kean Campus, School of Business, Chase Auditorium

Friday, March 6, 2 – 4 pm AST
Grants, Loans and Other Resources for Farmers and Fishers

• Virtual attendance (link provided to those who register as detailed above)
• St. Croix – UVI – Research & Technology Park, Albert A. Sheen Campus, 64 West, Large Conference Center
• St. Thomas – UVI – Orville E. Kean Campus, School of Business, Chase Auditorium

The presenters at the sessions include the UVI Office of Sponsored Programs (Rick Nader); Agriculture Business Center (Shanta Roberts); VI Good Food Coalition (Sommer Sibilly- Brown); and TAP Fellows: Carollyn Boykins-Winrow & Diana Collingwood.

The LFFC is charged with guiding the implementation of the Territorial Agricultural Plan and its eight mandates, which were approved and endorsed by Governor Albert Bryan Jr. and ratified by the Legislature of the Virgin Islands.

The Local Food and Farm Council is made up of 17 members, including Co-Chairs Dr. Louis E. Petersen, Jr., Commissioner, Department of Agriculture and Dr. Safiya George, President, UVI; Dr. Usman Adamu, Dean and Director of the School of Agriculture, UVI; Dr. Dionne Wells-Hedrington, Commissioner, Department of Education (VIDE); Jean-Pierre L. Oriol, Commissioner, DPNR; Wayne L. Biggs Jr., CEO, USVI Economic Development Authority; Honorary Farm Members Abeba Sellassie, Ityopia Rootz Farm; Dr. Nate Olive, Ridge to Reef Farm; Edmon Titre, New Breed Farm; Royce Creque, Greenridge Guavaberry
Farm; Honorary Fisher Members Winston Ledee and Mavel Maldonado; VIDE Designees Dr. Renee Charleswell, Deputy Commissioner of Curriculum and Instruction, VIDE; Harith Wickrema, President, Island Green Living; and Cydney Meadows, Territorial Director of Sustainability & Agricultural Education, Division of Curriculum & Instruction, VIDE; and DPNR Designees Dr. Nicole Angeli, Director of Fish & Wildlife, DPNR and Dr. Sennai Habtes, Bureau Chief, Fisheries, DPNR.

For more information or to share feedback, please contact 340-693-1003 or vilocalfoodandfarmcouncil@doa.vi.gov. Please visit www.vilocalfoodandfarmcouncil