Policy Framework
Benefits, Obligations, and Procedures Preamble:
The Farmers’ Identification and Registration Programme (FIRP) is a part of the Cayman Islands Agricultural Business Information System which will be underpinned by the pending Agriculture Act and will replace the existing Farmers Identification programme.
This Ministry led initiative has the consensus of the Cayman Islands Agricultural Society (CIAS) and the Department of Agriculture (DoA). Representatives from the aforementioned
formed a committee tasked with the job to recommend criteria for farmers’ identification and
registration. The committee reviewed historic documentation, key stakeholder representation
and current international best practices. This enabled them to develop the new criteria for the
identification and registration of agricultural producers in the Cayman Islands. (See appendix
1).
The FIRP objectives are to:
1. Enhance how the Cayman Islands Government (CIG) provides benefits and incentives
to the farming community.
2. Identify and register all agricultural producers in the country to assist with creating
agricultural policies.
3. Collect and collate agricultural production data.
4. Restructure the allocation of benefits and incentives to the farming sector
To digitalize the FIRPThis programme will be managed and operated by the Department of
Agriculture.
Un-registered Agricultural Producers
An individual or company that is not registered as commercial or non-commercial but utilizes
outputs delivered by the DOA most of which are heavily subsidized by the Cayman Islands
Government.
Benefits:
Access to general services delivered by the DOA(see appendix 2)
Access to subsidized pricing on agricultural supplies and inputs sold by the Department
of Agriculture.
CAYMAN ISLANDS FARMERS’ IDENTIFICATION AND REGISTRATION PROGRAMME 2
Cayman Islands Agricultural Business Information System
Farmers’ Identification and Registration Programme (FIRP)
Requirements:
None
Non-Commercial Agricultural Producer
Open to any person interested or involved in the agriculture sector, particularly those individuals
involved in ‘backyard’ production for personal consumption and/or supplementing household
income through the sale of surplus production.
Benefits:
Access to general services delivered by the DOA
Special discount prices on agricultural supplies and inputs sold by the Department of
Agriculture.
Preferential access to agricultural technical advisory services
Advance notification of agricultural training opportunities
Requirements:
ID Card and payment of an Annual fee of CI $ 100.00
Commercial Agricultural Producer
Open to those individuals or registered companies actively involved in commercial/agribusiness
enterprises. That is any individual or company involved in the ‘agri-business’ and as
such, this person or company undertakes the agricultural enterprise with a reasonable
expectation of profit. (Also available to individuals or companies that are planning to establish
a commercial/agri-business enterprise upon submission of a business plan.)
Benefits:
Access to general services delivered by the DOA
Access to maximum discount prices on agricultural supplies and inputs sold by the
Department of Agriculture.
Access to subsidized services provided by the Department of Agriculture; such as land
clearing and preparation tree crop husbandry programme and other special services or
programmes that may be delivered form time to time
Access to post-disaster recovery programmes.
Priority access to technical advisory services and training opportunities
Support from the Department of Agriculture to facilitate access to other government
programmes such as duty-free concession on agricultural imports, support letters for
annual gun licenses fee waivers, and work permits for farm labor.
CAYMAN ISLANDS FARMERS’ IDENTIFICATION AND REGISTRATION PROGRAMME 3
Cayman Islands Agricultural Business Information System
Farmers’ Identification and Registration Programme (FIRP)
Acess to general services and agricultural inputs offered by the Caribbean Agricultural
Research and Development Institue.
Requirements:
ID Card and payment of an Annual fee of CI $ 200.00
Verification that the agricultural enterprise meets and complies with the standards set
for that particular enterprise, including:
• Ownership and suitability of assets and resources.
• Regulatory compliance (compliance with regulations and laws applicable to that
enterprise).
Verification of active involvement in the agricultural enterprise for which membership is
sought.
Obligations/procedures:
Agricultural Producer
All agricultural producers are expected to apply to the DOA using the approved FIRP
application form
The required fee is to be paid upon approval and prior to receipt of the FIRP Card.
All registered agricultural producers are to maintain their application status annually and
will be required to provide their production data bi-annually. This can be provided
electronically or in person to the DoA.
The Agricultural Producer identification and registration card will be valid for 1 year and
is expected to apply for renewal for a new card to be issued.
Where a company is arpproved as an identified and registered commercial producer,
the registration will be name of said company and a maximum of (1 year) Identification
cards wil be issued to the primary proprietors of the company.
Acess to general services and agricultural inputs offered by the Caribbean Agricultural
Research and Development Institue.
Provisional Commercial Agricultural Producer
Individuals or companies seeking to establish a commercial agricultural business enterprise
may apply for a provisional Commercial Agricultural Producer and Identification and registration
card. This will be valid for 6 months. Such an individual or company will be required to provide
a copy of their farm operation plan and have received verification of the suitability of the
resources and assets for their proposed operation. The operation should be commenced within
6 months of the application date to become a full-fledged Commercial Agricultural Producer.
The Farmers’ Identification and Registration Programme (FIRP) is a part of the Cayman Islands Agricultural Business Information System which will be underpinned by the pending Agriculture Act and will replace the existing Farmers Identification programme.
This Ministry led initiative has the consensus of the Cayman Islands Agricultural Society (CIAS) and the Department of Agriculture (DoA). Representatives from the aforementioned formed a committee tasked with the job to recommend criteria for farmers’ identification and registration. The committee reviewed historic documentation, key stakeholder representation
and current international best practices. This enabled them to develop the new criteria for the identification and registration of agricultural producers in the Cayman Islands. (See appendix 1).
The FIRP objectives are to:
1. Enhance how the Cayman Islands Government (CIG) provides benefits and incentives to the farming community.
2. Identify and register all agricultural producers in the country to assist with creating agricultural policies.
3. Collect and collate agricultural production data.
4. Restructure the allocation of benefits and incentives to the farming sector To digitalize the FIRP This programme will be managed and operated by the Department of Agriculture.
Un-registered Agricultural Producers An individual or company that is not registered as commercial or non-commercial but utilizes outputs delivered by the DOA most of which are heavily subsidized by the Cayman Islands Government.
Benefits:
Access to general services delivered by the DOA(see appendix 2)
Access to subsidized pricing on agricultural supplies and inputs sold by the Department
of Agriculture.
CAYMAN ISLANDS FARMERS’ IDENTIFICATION AND REGISTRATION PROGRAMME 2
Cayman Islands Agricultural Business Information System
Farmers’ Identification and Registration Programme (FIRP)
Requirements:
None
Non-Commercial Agricultural Producer
Open to any person interested or involved in the agriculture sector, particularly those individuals involved in ‘backyard’ production for personal consumption and/or supplementing household income through the sale of surplus production.
Benefits:
Access to general services delivered by the DOA
Special discount prices on agricultural supplies and inputs sold by the Department of Agriculture.
Preferential access to agricultural technical advisory services
Advance notification of agricultural training opportunities
Requirements:
ID Card and payment of an Annual fee of CI $ 100.00
Commercial Agricultural Producer
Open to those individuals or registered companies actively involved in commercial/agribusiness enterprises. That is any individual or company involved in the ‘agri-business’ and as such, this person or company undertakes the agricultural enterprise with a reasonable expectation of profit. (Also available to individuals or companies that are planning to establish
a commercial/agri-business enterprise upon submission of a business plan.)
Benefits:
Access to general services delivered by the DOA
Access to maximum discount prices on agricultural supplies and inputs sold by the Department of Agriculture.
Access to subsidized services provided by the Department of Agriculture; such as land clearing and preparation tree crop husbandry programme and other special services or programmes that may be delivered form time to time
Access to post-disaster recovery programmes.
Priority access to technical advisory services and training opportunities
Support from the Department of Agriculture to facilitate access to other government programmes such as duty-free concession on agricultural imports, support letters for annual gun licenses fee waivers, and work permits for farm labor.
CAYMAN ISLANDS FARMERS’ IDENTIFICATION AND REGISTRATION PROGRAMME 3
Cayman Islands Agricultural Business Information System
Farmers’ Identification and Registration Programme (FIRP)
Acess to general services and agricultural inputs offered by the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institue.
Requirements:
ID Card and payment of an Annual fee of CI $ 200.00
Verification that the agricultural enterprise meets and complies with the standards set for that particular enterprise, including:
• Ownership and suitability of assets and resources.
• Regulatory compliance (compliance with regulations and laws applicable to that enterprise).
Verification of active involvement in the agricultural enterprise for which membership is sought.
Obligations/procedures:
Agricultural Producer
All agricultural producers are expected to apply to the DOA using the approved FIRP application form
The required fee is to be paid upon approval and prior to receipt of the FIRP Card.
All registered agricultural producers are to maintain their application status annually and
will be required to provide their production data bi-annually. This can be provided electronically or in person to the DoA.
The Agricultural Producer identification and registration card will be valid for 1 year and is expected to apply for renewal for a new card to be issued.
Where a company is arpproved as an identified and registered commercial producer, the registration will be name of said company and a maximum of (1 year) Identification cards wil be issued to the primary proprietors of the company.
Acess to general services and agricultural inputs offered by the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institue.
Provisional Commercial Agricultural Producer
Individuals or companies seeking to establish a commercial agricultural business enterprise may apply for a provisional Commercial Agricultural Producer and Identification and registration card. This will be valid for 6 months. Such an individual or company will be required to provide a copy of their farm operation plan and have received verification of the suitability of the resources and assets for their proposed operation. The operation should be commenced within 6 months of the application date to become a full-fledged Commercial Agricultural Producer.
