Governor Mapp:

The immediate declaration of a Drought Emergency  is needed to assist livestock farmers on St. Croix and in the Virgin Islands. Farmers are now loosing animals due to lack of available and affordable feed. Animals are suffering and farmers are unable to cull their flock due to the closure of the abattoir. As stated by one farmer, "everyone with large amounts of animals needs to slaughter to cull herds to manageable levels to match the feed resources. These are the worst weeks so far and if we slaughter at home we can't legally sell them so its a rock and hard place for farmers".