Agriculture head wants a Guam meat industry

Guam should grow and sell its livestock.

Putting local meat on your dinner table is one idea Chelsa Muña-Brecht the acting director of the Guam Department of Agriculture wants to bring to fruition.

Speaking to Rotarians, after nearly a month in office, she sees potential in her department.

The way Muña-Brecht sees her position as the head of the Department of Agriculture isn't political.  

"I don't consider myself a policial appointee I had nothing to do with any of the gubernatorial campaigns," she said.

Instead, she claims her credentials as a small-scale farmer for nearly a decade makes her the right fit for the job.

"I started raising chickens with my two young sons primarily because I wanted to grow my own eggs," she said.

Speaking to Rotarians about her first month in office, the acting director admits, the five divisions, spanning from animal control to marine and wildlife conservation, could do more.

"And like most government agencies procurement and hiring were the top two issues, but more so than that I saw there was a lot of mandates we weren't fulfilling," she said.

In line with the Governor's platform, Muna-Brecht's focus is on producing meat here on island.

"I met with a couple of livestock farmers already and I think that absolutely has growth potential," she said. "I don't think that in the first few years we're going to see anything like exporting meat anywhere but what we can do is develop that industry enough to where we are providing meat locally."

She said mobile slaughterhouses is one solution to a major concern.

"I know for a long time we've been told we can't do livestock or meat processing here because we need USDA regulator on site I also know that there are ways around that," she said.

Meat that is currently imported to Guam is stamped with the USDA sticker.
Without an inspector, local meat will not be USDA approved, but Muna-Brecht said they can have safety regulations in place.

Aside from a livestock industry, she wants to plant sustainable community gardens, and fruit-bearing trees at all government agencies.

"We need to have fruit-bearing trees, fruit-bearing bushes, plants growing and it can't be this message that we're sending out constantly about living a healthier lifestyle, grow your own food, buy locally, but then the government's not doing anything to support that idea," she said. "We should be the example."

The head of the Department of Agriculture is wary of possible food shortages, as Guam depends heavily on imports, though she's eager to think of creative sustainable solutions.

"I think what guides me is just knowing the potential of this Department is 1040 and seeing the skilled people who work there," Muna-Brecht said.