Operators of food handling establishments and butchers in Portland are being urged to purchase meat exclusively from registered farmers, as part of ongoing efforts by the Portland Health Department to strengthen its food safety standards and enforcement measures.

This call was made by Livestock Officer at the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) Portland branch, Odane Edwards, during the Portland Butchers Licensing Session held at Hotel Tim Bamboo in Port Antonio on April 27.

Highlighting the challenges posed by cattle larceny in the parish, Mr. Edwards cautioned butchers against sourcing animals from unregistered suppliers.

“We have registered farmers… who have receipt books. We encourage all farmers to get receipt books,” he said.

Mr. Edwards further emphasised that all transactions must be accompanied by proper documentation.

“If you go to a farm to purchase animals, make sure that you get a receipt,” he advised.

Mr. Edwards noted that the required receipts can be obtained from the Jamaica Agricultural Society, and stressed that for transactions to be deemed legitimate, farmers must be registered with RADA and operate an established farm.

The RADA Officer also reported that Portland has been performing well in implementing the National Animal Identification and Traceability System (NAITS), a Government-introduced programme designed to track livestock through identification and registration.

“For the NAITS programme, we think Portland is pretty much one of the parishes that is on top of NAITS. We are out there tagging animals,” he said.

Mr. Edwards noted that while tagging falls under the Veterinary Services Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, RADA supports the initiative through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

“Through the MOU, we partner with them and we are out there with them. So, time and time again, a farmer will call me and I will make the arrangement and ensure that their animals are tagged,” he explained.

Meanwhile, Corporal Peter-Ray Lewis of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) Agricultural Protection Branch (APB) underscored the legal consequences for breaches within the meat-handling industry.

He outlined that under the Public Health (Meat Inspection) Regulations, (1989), the Public Health (Butchers) Regulations, (1989), and the Public Health (Food Handlers) Regulations, (1998), offences such as operating without a licence, using deceptive stamps or marks, failing to produce a certificate of inspection, selling condemned meat, or operating without a food handler’s permit can attract fines of up to $1 million or one year’s imprisonment.

Corporal Lewis emphasised that enforcement efforts are geared towards ensuring compliance rather than intimidation, pointing out that “the police [are] not here to pressure… [we are] here to bring compliance.”

He indicated that since June 2025, the APB has arrested and charged 250 persons for breaches of the meat handling regulations within the JCF’s Area Two.

“So please, you know the proper procedure, you know the proper thing to do… make the public safer by complying,” Corporal Lewis underscored