31st Agricultural Fair names three winners

Three winners topped the 31st Agricultural Fair last Saturday at the Civic Center in Susupe.

Chelsea Lorenzo topped the 4-H youth category, which had participants competing in the plant division only. In the adult category, Santiago Tudela won the plant division and Antonio Aguon won the animal division.

Judging was done as early as 6am, with the winning animals, vegetables, fruits, and other plants marked with ribbons that identified them as first, second, and third place winners.

Judges for the youth division were Rengesaul Yobech, Ferdinand Ngirmekur, and Joan Flores. Dr. Ross Miller, Aldebert Concepcion, and Margarita Tudela were the judges for the plant division, while Ramon Neskebei, Frank Aldan, and Roman Guerrero judged for the animal division.

Saipan Agricultural Fair organizing committee president Ramon B. Camacho said he is very impressed with the number of contest participants and the people showing up for the event.

“A lot of plants and animals were entered from both different age groups, from the youngest to the oldest, and I am glad that they won cause it shows that they are dedicated in farming and also to those who entered,” Camacho said.

Isidoro Cabrera, the organizing committee chairman for rules, said there were so many entrees that they have been judging since early that morning.

“Everybody will probably win, depending on what category you join,” he said.

Cabrera said prizes would be awarded to the winners while consolation prizes will be handed out to those who didn’t get any ribbons.

Department of Lands and Natural Resources Secretary Arnold Palacios said the CNMI have been seeing an “advancement and diversification” in its agricultural system.

“Today, they will showcase their best products to be evaluated by measures including appearance, taste, smell, size, and quality and I congratulate all the participants in this year’s event and encourage the community’s participation in future fairs,” Palacios said.

Farmers acknowledged

Gov. Eloy S. Inos acknowledged the many farmers in the CNMI that was present during the 31st Agricultural Fair.

He said the event honors those who “bear our crops and who harvest produce and livestock” that families in the CNMI can consume during one of their meals.

“Farming has and always will be a vital part of the life of our people, both now and in the past. The life of a lancheru [farmer] is not an easy one,” Inos said.

Inos told of how early farmers wake up every morning to feed the animals, check on crops, bring it to market and then replant again.

“This is an everyday process, but the farmer does it with honor and pride, knowing that with every fruit and vegetable he plants, he’ll be helping out a family he probably may never meet,” Inos said.

DLNR’s Division of Agriculture director Manny A. Tenorio said the annual fair is an important call to the community to recognize the contribution of “this special group of people.”

“I join Palacios in extending our most sincere congratulations to all our hardworking farmers, producers, and ranchers for their steadfast and unrelenting effort in holding on to this wonderful tradition of hard work and friendly competition,” Tenorio said.

Ross Manglona, director of the Northern Marianas College Cooperative Research, Extension & Education Service, said the fair is a sign of the “liveliness and capacity of our farmers and ranchers.”

“It helps to get the public recognition they more than deserve. After all, these are the people who feed us,” Manglona said.

Organizing committee president Camacho said they intend to host the agricultural fair in years to come.

“The success of the Farmers Association would not be possible without our close working partnership with NMC-CREES, Office of Insular Affairs, CNMI Department of Commerce, and the office of Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan,” Camacho said.