

The Department of Agriculture is responsible for the encouragement and development of agriculture in the Islands. This includes not only production of crops and livestock but also biosecurity, protecting Turks and Caicos from serious diseases and pest of animals and plants. The Department is responsible for the facilitation of the safe trade of imported commodities, the protection of public health through veterinary public health measures and a safe food supply chain. As such we have responsibility for the inspection of, the regulation of, and the approval of, food production systems at all levels in the Turks and Caicos Islands. This includes the activities of the Plant Health Services, and the Animal Health Services, within the Department of Agriculture. These two divisions of the Department maintain the agricultural health environment of the Islands.
Services Provided
The Department of Agriculture has responsibility for the inspection of, the regulation of, and the approval of, food production systems at all levels in the Turks and Caicos Islands. We carry out our function through the Animal Health Services, the Plant Health Services and the Government Farm in Kew North Caicos.
Some of the functions we provide are:
The Division is staffed by a dedicated team of professionals who are committed to the highest scientific standards in delivering the services we offer.
The Plant Health Services Division (PHSD) is a unit within the Department of Agriculture that has specific responsibilities for the management of plant health (protection and quarantine) issues. The main objective of the unit is to introduce policies and programs that are geared towards safeguarding the Turks and Caicos Islands’ agriculture, and general environment from the ingress and spread of economic plant pest and diseases.
Some of the functions we provide are:
To support the proposed agricultural development plan and policy and to directly address some of these issues related to increasing productivity, profitability and know how, it is proposed that the Government Farm in Kew, North Caicos be revitalized and transformed into The Kew Agricultural Station; an agricultural research and demonstration station for crop and livestock production as well as an onfarm teaching facility. It will inter alia work in collaboration with existing and new entrepreneurs. Some of the services presently provided include:
Visitors to the TCI should know that there are conditions which must be adhered to by law when bringing in controlled/regulated commodities to the islands.
Animals including Cats and Dogs as well as live Plants and Plant Products e.g. fruits, flowers and seeds are controlled/regulated commodities.
These items may only be imported into the TCI through a port of entry. No controlled/regulated commodity may be imported unless:
It is the traveler’s responsibility to verify the accuracy and completeness of all import conditions before you arrive into TCI. There are penalties for persons who do not comply with the law.
Thank you for assisting us with keeping TCI beautiful and safe.