Livestock farming pays off for woman who lost her job

When Yvette Campbell got laid off from a cable company in 2008, after being employed for four years, she decided that it would be the last time she would work for someone else. She engaged herself in livestock farming, and it has been paying dividends.

THE STAR spotted the Linstead resident gathering feed for her animals on land adjacent the Charlemont High School last week.

"I have to come and cut grass to help to feed the pigs, goats, and cows at home. I have to help with gathering of feed (grass), which helps to ease up on the money for a bag of ration," Campbell said.

Campbell, who holds an associate degree in banking and finance from the former College of Arts, Science and Technology, now the University of Technology, Jamaica, is still banking on rearing livestock as her route to self-reliance.

"I was employed to National Commercial Bank (for four years), then as a manager of a cable company in Linstead, but when I got laid off I decided that I was getting too mature for the corporate world. My mind then went to work and the result is this," Campbell said.

The devoted farmer said that she started her journey with two pigs and a few goats, which she said were bought with money from her severance pay.

"I try my best to keep the pigs properly fed, although each bag of feed cost $1,850, but they produce piglets, which we sell to the local jerk industry. I have one of the Yorkshire (sow), which normally drops 12 to 14 pigs per litter. That is the encouragement you get as a farmer," Campbell said.

After journeying from Charlemont to Victoria district, the bundles of grass removed from the car trunk were immediately gobbled up by two of Campbell's goats.

Despite the challenges of farm theft and market volatility, she has set her sights on a major expansion. Her 200 broiler chicks turn over revenue in six weeks.

"I have to been able to make an honest living from farming, and I do believe that there needs to be small grants and incentives to lure more youth into the industry," Campbell said, while adding that agriculture can be a very rewarding endeavour.