Content farmers enjoy annual jamboree at reopened RADA office

Farmers in Content and surrounding districts in St James got the opportunity to engage with each other and with several state agencies at the Goodwill Farmers' Association's fourth annual jamboree and health fair, at the Rural Agricultural Development Authority's (RADA) Content office last Friday.

From as early as 11:30 a.m., the farmers and other residents made full use of the on-site services provided by representatives of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, the Registrar General's Department, and the St James Veterinary Department, while also enjoying free blood pressure and sugar checks.

Friday's jamboree also marked the first time the event was being held at the Content RADA office, which was reopened in February after being closed for 29 years.

Everald Williams, president of the Goodwill Farmers' Association, told WESTERN STAR that the choice of venue was intended to generate greater interest in his organisation's community development efforts.

"Normally, we keep our annual fundraising event at the Goodwill Community Centre, but now that the RADA office is open in Content, we're trying to do it at the office so as to engage more farmers, because you have a lot of farmers coming from areas like Dumfries, Adelphi, and Paisley, and it will be easier for them to come here at Content than to go to Goodwill," said Williams.

"We want to get more people to come to our meetings and understand what we're trying to do, as we don't want to just be a farmers' group. We're trying to be a co-operative in the area, and a co-operative is a body of people who try to make money for the community and its environs," Williams added.