Sharpening skills, improving quality, and fostering community care these were the driving forces behind the recently concluded Specialty Cuts Training, a three-day capacitybuilding initiative that brought together both commercial and roadside butchers from across Saint Lucia.

Held from August 5th to 7th, 2025, and facilitated by A.L. Waaldijk College, the training focused on proper meat handling, hygiene, and advanced cutting techniques aimed at improving the overall quality, presentation, and market value of locally produced meat. Supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and organized by the Veterinary and Livestock Services Department within the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Rural Development, the initiative forms part of ongoing efforts to modernize the pork industry and raise national food safety standards.

The Ministry extended sincere appreciation to Valley Cold Storage for opening its facility for the handson sessions and to the FAO for providing carcasses for practical use. Their partnership created a professional, real-world training environment, where participants refined their craft under expert guidance while gaining valuable insight into hygiene and value-added meat processing.

In a noteworthy act of social responsibility, Valley Cold Storage and the Veterinary and Livestock Services Department collaborated to donate the specialty meat cuts prepared during the sessions to humanitarian institutions, including Rosa Place and Cornerstone. This gesture ensured that the initiative’s benefits extended beyond professional development to touch lives within the wider community.

Officials from the Veterinary and Livestock Services Department described the Specialty Cuts Training as a vital step toward building technical capacity, improving food quality, and enhancing economic opportunities within the local livestock sector.

The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to advancing Saint Lucia’s livestock value chain through continued collaboration, innovation, and the promotion of best practices that support both food security and social wellbeing.