Agriculture Produce Board named with 6 members

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Through an Aug. 23rd memorandum, Acting Gov. Talauega Eleasalo Ale reconstituted the Agriculture Produce Board, and appointed six individuals to the board by virtue of their positions, as provided by the American Samoa Administrative Code regulations.

The regulation states that the board would consist of the director of Agriculture, who serves as chairman; deputy Secretary of Samoan Affairs, who is also the deputy chairman, an Agricultural Economist of the Office of Development Planning, who shall be the secretary; the Chief Quarantine Officer; and two private, commercial farmers appointed by the chairman and approved by the Governor.

In his memo, Talauega, appointed Agriculture director Solialeaofiotagaloa I.T. Mutini, deputy Secretary of Samoan Affairs, Tauese Va’a K. Sunia, Commerce Department’s assistant deputy for business trade and investments, Finauvale Alex Zodiacal and DoA’s Chief Quarantine Officer, Iulai Holi.

Talauega said he has approved the Agriculture director’s selection of private farmers for the board to four year terms:

• Toni Timoteo-Leano of Mauna Lata Creative Farm, Faleasao

• Peter Gurr of Maloata Farms.

Talauega asked cabinet members to give their cooperation and support to the board as they carry out their duties and responsibilities.

The Administrative Code spells out the board’s general objectives, such as to control and regulate the supply of agriculture produce in American Samoa; to promote and foster a sound marketing structure for agriculture produce in American Samoa; and to promote and foster regional cooperation in terms of the trading patterns of agriculture produce in a manner conducive to the orderly and balanced economic development of American Samoa.

In pursuance of its objectives, the Administrative Code states that the board shall have the following powers concerning the importation of agriculture produce into American Samoa:

• To formulate policies, and to keep under review and, where necessary, develop changes in such policies;

• To recommend to the Governor the adoption of rules by the Governor to implement policies;

• To issue licenses for importation on conditions in accordance with such rules;

• To give any directions or instructions as are reasonably necessary for licensees or government agencies to carry out the conditions of licenses and provisions of governing rules; and

• To execute such other functions as this chapter or the Governor may direct.

During a cabinet meeting last month, where a presentation was made on Food & Security for the territory, there was a question raised as to the status of the Agriculture Produce Board and its roles in ensuring availability of local agriculture produce.