AGP Executive Report

Regional Agriculture & Land Access: OECS Director General Dr. Didacus Jules urged governments to open crown lands to young farmers on transparent, bank-collateral-friendly terms, stressing inclusion for people with disabilities and making agribusiness training and finance more than “ceremonial.” Swine Industry Research: The University of Minnesota launched three National Pork Board-backed initiatives to strengthen biosecurity, improve viral disease control, and benchmark practices across the U.S. swine sector. Shipping & Airlift Watch: Caribbean Airlines is ending its direct Tobago–Barbados passenger and cargo service, creating a potential regional airlift gap while other carriers say they’re monitoring demand before adding capacity. Trade & Food Industry Pressure: A new look at the meat industry highlights ongoing human rights concerns alongside long-running animal welfare and environmental debates. Culture & Production (Film): Lila Avilés wrapped production on “Cábula,” sharing a first look ahead of the Venice Gap-Financing Market, with the story centered on education and community exploitation. Territory & Policy Noise: Donald Trump posted an AI map suggesting a far-expanded U.S. footprint across North America and parts of the Caribbean, without clear policy follow-through.

Agriculture & Land Access: OECS Director General Dr. Didacus Jules urged governments to open crown lands to young farmers on transparent, bank-recognised terms, stressing inclusion for people with disabilities and practical support beyond “ceremonial” gestures. Swine & Animal Health Research: The University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine launched three pork-focused initiatives, backed by the National Pork Board, targeting national biosecurity mapping, PRRSV-2 immunization strategies, and international benchmarking to strengthen herd health. Regional Logistics: Caribbean Airlines is ending its direct Tobago–Barbados passenger and cargo service, creating a possible airlift gap; LIAT (2020) and interCaribbean say they’re monitoring, but capacity changes depend on demand and route planning. Creative Industries: Tabari Artspace DIFC announced Mohamed Monaiseer’s solo “85 Seconds To Midnight,” developed during the Gaza war residency, using art to examine cycles of violence and colonial power. Film Production: Lila Avilés wrapped production on “Cábula” and shared a first look ahead of the Venice Gap-Financing Market, with the story centered on education and community exploitation.

Agriculture & Land Access: OECS Director General Dr. Didacus Jules urged governments to open crown lands to young farmers on transparent, bank-recognised terms, including 10-year arrangements, and called for inclusion that’s structural—not just ceremonial—at the Youth and Women in Agriculture Symposium. Swine & Veterinary Research: The University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine launched three National Pork Board-backed initiatives to strengthen swine biosecurity, improve viral disease control, and benchmark practices internationally, including work on PRRSV-2 immunization strategies. Regional Air Logistics: Caribbean Airlines is ending its direct Tobago–Barbados passenger and cargo service, creating a potential airlift gap; LIAT (2020) and interCaribbean say they’re monitoring, but any capacity changes depend on demand and route planning. Arts & Culture (Local interest): Tabari Artspace DIFC hosts Mohamed Monaiseer’s solo “85 Seconds To Midnight,” exploring how war and colonial power repeat across generations. Human Rights & Food Industry: A new look at Big Meat highlights ongoing human rights problems alongside the sector’s long-running controversies.

Human Rights in Food Production: A new look at the meat industry traces how exploitation and unsafe conditions described in The Jungle still echo today, tying modern meatpacking to ongoing human rights abuses. Agriculture & Youth Access: OECS Director General Dr. Didacus Jules urged governments to open crown lands to young farmers on transparent, bank-collateral-friendly terms, pushing inclusion for people with disabilities and practical agribusiness training. Swine Industry Research: The University of Minnesota is launching three pork-focused initiatives on biosecurity mapping, PRRSV-2 immunization strategies, and international benchmarking to strengthen herd health and reduce costly viral risks. Regional Logistics Watch: Caribbean Airlines’ plan to end its direct Tobago–Barbados passenger and cargo service creates a potential airlift gap, with other carriers saying any replacement depends on demand and route planning. Film Production (Local Talent Signal): Mexican director Lila Avilés has wrapped production on Cábula and shared a first look ahead of the Venice Gap-Financing Market, with the cast including Montserrat Marañón.

Agribusiness & Youth Access: OECS Director General Dr. Didacus Jules urged governments to open crown lands to young farmers on transparent, bank-recognised terms—so young people can actually invest, including those with disabilities. Swine Industry Research: The University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine launched three pork-focused initiatives backed by the National Pork Board, targeting national biosecurity mapping, PRRSV-2 immunization strategies, and international benchmarking to strengthen herd health. Regional Airlift Watch: Caribbean Airlines is ending its direct Tobago–Barbados passenger and cargo service, creating a potential route gap; LIAT and interCaribbean say they’re monitoring, but any capacity move depends on demand and operations. Culture & Creative Production: Mexican director Lila Avilés wrapped production on “Cábula” and shared a first look ahead of the Venice Gap-Financing Market, with the film set in Mexicalpan and centered on education and community identity. Sports Broadcast (Low Industry Fit): Valencia hosts Barcelona Sept. 6 with live TV/streaming listings across the UK, US, and Canada.

Agriculture & Youth Access: OECS Director General Dr. Didacus Jules urged sub-region governments to open crown lands to young farmers on transparent, bank-recognised terms, stressing inclusion for persons with disability and practical support like agribusiness training, climate-smart farming, digital tools, leadership, and access to finance and markets. Regional Procurement & Health Systems: OECS Pharmaceutical Procurement Service marked its 40th anniversary, highlighting how pooled purchasing has helped small states sustain supply through hurricanes, trade shocks, and the pandemic. Swine Industry Research: The University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine launched three pork-focused initiatives backed by the National Pork Board, targeting biosecurity strengths and gaps, immunization strategies against PRRSV-2, and international benchmarking to improve herd health. Shipping & Airlift Watch: Caribbean Airlines ended its direct Tobago–Barbados passenger and cargo service, creating a potential regional airlift gap; carriers said any replacement capacity depends on demand and route planning. Media & Culture: A historical look at how radio overtook newspapers in the Windward Islands, plus film news as Lila Avilés wraps production on “Cábula” for the Venice Gap-Financing Market.

Agriculture & Land Access: OECS Director General Dr. Didacus Jules urged governments to open crown lands to young farmers on transparent terms, with rates and 10-year arrangements that banks can recognize as collateral, stressing inclusion for women and persons with disability through real training and finance—not “ceremonial” support. Regional Airlift Watch: Caribbean Airlines’ end of its direct Tobago–Barbados passenger and cargo service from Wednesday leaves a potential route gap; LIAT (2020) and interCaribbean say they’re monitoring, but any capacity add depends on demand and operational planning. Swine Industry Research: The University of Minnesota is launching three National Pork Board-backed initiatives targeting biosecurity mapping, viral disease control, and international benchmarking to strengthen herd health. Forestry Snapshot: A new ranking shows Russia leads global forest share at 20.1%, with just five countries holding more than half of the world’s forests. Culture & Media: Film director Lila Avilés wrapped production on “Cábula,” sharing a first look ahead of the Venice Gap-Financing Market.

Agribusiness Access & Finance: OECS Director General Dr. Didacus Jules urged governments to open crown lands to young farmers on transparent, bank-recognised terms—so a 10-year arrangement can work as collateral—while stressing inclusion for persons with disability isn’t “ceremonial” but built into training, forums, and financial tools. Regional Procurement Milestone: OECS marked 40 years of the OECS Pharmaceutical Procurement Service, highlighting how pooled purchasing has helped small states sustain capacity through hurricanes, volcanic crises, the banana trade collapse, the pandemic, and financial shocks. Swine Industry Research Push: The University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine launched three National Pork Board-backed initiatives targeting national biosecurity mapping, viral disease control, and international benchmarking to strengthen herd health and reduce costly threats like PRRSV-2. Regional Airlift Watch: Caribbean Airlines ended its direct Tobago–Barbados passenger and cargo service, leaving carriers cautious about adding capacity and pointing to demand and route planning as they monitor the gap. Culture & Film Production: Berlin Golden Bear winner Lila Avilés wrapped production on “Cábula,” sharing a first look ahead of the Venice Gap-Financing Market, with the story centered on education and community exploitation.

Film & Creative Industries: Berlin Golden Bear winner Lila Avilés has finished production on her next feature, “Cábula,” sharing an exclusive first look ahead of its presentation at the Venice Gap-Financing Market (Sept. 4–6). Set in a fictional Mexican town, the story follows a compassionate teacher and her students as elites try to appropriate their customs—an education-focused theme with Montserrat Marañón among the cast. Agriculture & Land Access: OECS Director General Dr. Didacus Jules urged sub-region governments to provide crown lands to young farmers on transparent, bank-recognised terms, warning that without land “every other intervention” loses impact; the OECS Youth and Women in Agriculture Symposium also targets climate-smart farming, digital innovation, leadership, and market access. Swine Industry Research: The University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine is launching three National Pork Board-supported initiatives to strengthen national biosecurity, improve viral disease control, and support international benchmarking—aimed at practical, farm-ready tools for herd health. Regional Air Logistics: Caribbean Airlines is ending its direct Tobago–Barbados passenger and cargo service, creating a potential airlift gap; other carriers say they’re monitoring demand but won’t add capacity without clear operational and crowding conditions. Environment & Forestry Data: A new ranking highlights that Russia holds the largest share of global forests (20.1%), with just a handful of countries controlling more than half of the world’s forest area.

Agri Policy for Farmers: OECS governments are being urged to hand out crown lands to young farmers on transparent terms, with rates that let them pay over 10 years and use the arrangement as bank-recognised collateral—so agriculture training and finance don’t stay “ceremonial.” Swine Industry Research: The University of Minnesota’s vet school is launching three pork-focused initiatives backed by the National Pork Board, targeting national biosecurity mapping, better immunization strategies against PRRSV-2, and international benchmarking to help producers cut costly disease risk. Regional Airlift Watch: Caribbean Airlines is ending its direct Tobago–Barbados passenger and cargo service, creating a potential route gap; other carriers say they’re monitoring demand but won’t add capacity immediately. Trade Data: The latest U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services update (July 2026) adds context for import/export flows that can ripple into regional supply chains. Environment Snapshot: A new ranking highlights how a few countries dominate global forests, with Russia leading at 20.1% of forest area.

Swine Health Research: The University of Minnesota is rolling out three pork-focused projects backed by the National Pork Board, aiming to strengthen national biosecurity, improve control of PRRSV-2, and benchmark practices across large, small, and show pig operations. Agriculture Land Access: OECS leaders are urging governments to offer crown lands to young farmers on transparent, bank-recognised terms so farming can be a real, financeable career—not just a program. Regional Airlift Watch: Caribbean Airlines is ending its direct Tobago–Barbados passenger and cargo service, leaving carriers to monitor demand before adding capacity, while existing routes via Trinidad and Tobago remain available. Climate & Risk: Tropical Storm Dolly has formed in the Atlantic, still far from shore, but travellers across the Caribbean are being told to track its forecast as September activity typically ramps up. Forestry Snapshot: A new global ranking shows Russia leading with 20.1% of the world’s forest area, with just a handful of countries holding more than half.

Swine Health Research: The University of Minnesota is rolling out three pork-focused initiatives backed by the National Pork Board, targeting national biosecurity mapping, better control of PRRSV-2, and international benchmarking to help producers spot and fix high-risk herd health gaps. Agriculture Land Access: OECS leaders are urging governments to provide crown lands to farmers on transparent, bank-recognised terms, so young people can actually invest and build agribusinesses. Regional Airlift Watch: Caribbean Airlines is ending its direct Tobago–Barbados passenger and cargo service, creating a potential route gap while other carriers say any replacement depends on demand and operational planning. Climate & Risk: Tropical Storm Dolly has formed in the Atlantic and could affect travel planning across the Caribbean as the season picks up later in September. Forestry Snapshot: A new ranking shows Russia leads global forest share at 20.1%, with just a few countries holding more than half of the world’s forests.

Agriculture & Land Access: OECS Director General Dr. Didacus Jules urged sub-region governments to open crown lands to young farmers on transparent terms, with rates and 10-year arrangements that banks can treat as collateral, stressing inclusion must be structural and not just ceremonial. Regional Airlift Watch: Caribbean Airlines’ decision to end the direct Tobago–Barbados passenger and cargo service has created a potential regional airlift gap, but LIAT (2020) and interCaribbean say they’re only monitoring options based on demand and route planning. Mining & Energy Transition: Scientists studying Montserrat’s Soufrière Hills volcano report signs of a fluid-filled zone at about 2–3 km depth that could act like a “magmatic brine lens,” potentially concentrating metals beneath the active system. Climate & Travel Alerts: Tropical Storm Dolly formed in the central Atlantic and, while not yet near hurricane strength, could still affect Caribbean travel plans as the season typically heats up in September. Global Forest Snapshot: A new ranking highlights that Russia holds the largest share of global forests (20.1%), with just a few countries controlling more than half worldwide.

Volcanic Metals Watch: Scientists say Montserrat’s Soufrière Hills volcano may be hiding a salty, metal-carrying reservoir 2–3 km down, pointing to a “magmatic brine lens” that could help explain how valuable metals concentrate under active volcanic systems. Creative Economy Push: Montserrat-born producer Eddie Prynze Duberry-Allen is urging Caribbean artistes and governments to treat music as real economic infrastructure—calling for better creative business training, stronger IP management, smarter contracts, and more support for studios, archives, and grants. Global Forests Snapshot: A new ranking shows Russia leads global forest area share (20.1%), with Brazil and Canada next, and just a handful of countries holding more than half of the world’s forests—useful context for land-use and forestry policy debates. Atlantic Storm Update: Tropical Storm Dolly has formed in the central Atlantic, still far from land, but the season could pick up later since September is typically the busiest month—travelers in the region are advised to monitor forecasts. Media & Grants: Global Grants highlight exchanges supporting newsroom management, cultural sound archiving, multilingual coverage, and AI use in media, with grantees including participants from Montserrat. Church Governance: Pope Leo XIV’s recent appointments expand women’s roles in Vatican governance, including leadership posts tied to communications and human development.

Volcanic Metals for Industry: Scientists report a hidden, salty fluid zone beneath Montserrat’s Soufrière Hills volcano at about 2–3 km depth, pointing to a possible “magmatic brine lens” that could concentrate valuable metals—an important clue for future energy-transition and mining discussions. Caribbean Creative Economy: Montserrat-born producer Eddie Prynze Duberry-Allen urges artistes, promoters, and governments to treat music as real economic infrastructure, calling for better creative business training, stronger IP skills, and more support for studios, archives, and grants. Hurricane Watch for Regional Logistics: Tropical Storm Dolly has formed in the Atlantic after a slow start to the season, and while it’s far from land, travellers and regional operators are being told to track its path as September activity typically ramps up. Global Forests Snapshot: A new ranking shows Russia leads global forest area share (20.1%), with just a few countries holding more than half worldwide—useful context for forestry, land-use, and sustainability planning. Media & Grants: Global Grants highlight exchanges supporting newsroom management, multilingual coverage, cultural sound archiving, and AI in the newsroom, with grantees including participants from Montserrat. Church Governance Appointments: Pope Leo XIV’s recent moves include appointing women to major Vatican institutions, including a new prefect role tied to communications.

Volcano Metals & Energy Transition: Scientists studying Montserrat’s Soufrière Hills volcano report signs of a salty, fluid-rich zone 2–3 km beneath the surface that could help concentrate valuable metals—an early clue to how active volcanoes may act like “natural factories” for resources tied to modern technologies. Caribbean Creative Industry: Montserrat-born music producer Eddie Prynze Duberry-Allen is pushing a “Culture is Currency” agenda, urging Caribbean artistes and governments to professionalize the sector through creative business training, stronger IP and contract skills, better studio and archive support, and smarter use of grants. Global Forestry Snapshot: A new ranking highlights how forest area is heavily concentrated—Russia leads with 20.1% of global forest cover, with just a handful of countries holding more than half worldwide. Hurricane Watch: Tropical Storm Dolly has formed in the Atlantic after a slow start to the season; it’s not near hurricane strength yet, but travelers in the Caribbean are being told to monitor forecasts as September typically brings peak activity. Media & Grants: Global Grants announced nine exchanges (up to £2,000) supporting projects across countries including Montserrat, covering newsroom management, cultural sound archiving, multilingual coverage, and AI use in production. Church Governance Appointments: Pope Leo XIV’s recent moves include appointing women to major Vatican roles, including a lay communications leader set to head the Holy See’s communication apparatus.