Strengthening Puerto Rico Small Ruminant Production and Marketing
Puerto Rico has seen an increased interest in small ruminant production – specially lamb -- as a means of reducing dependency on imported products and to strengthen local food security on the island. However, not enough training and educational materials are available to assist farmers in areas of production management, marketing, and value-added products to improve the competitiveness and development, expansion, and sustainable production of a local animal industry.
Researchers with the University of Puerto Rico received a $45,999 Education Grant to create the “Tai Lamb Meat Marketing and Promotion Educational Program (TAILAM-EP).” The program focuses on a series of webinars, webpages, brochures, on-farm visits, and hands-on delivery methods of value-added processes, marketing strategies, e-commerce, economics, record-keeping, and budgets. The program targets farmers, Extension county agents, and other stakeholders, providing deliverables in both English and Spanish.
To date, researchers have developed a newsletter called “Cordero” with information about lamb meat production. On on-site conference was conducted with 25 members of the Puerto Rico Society of Tai Institute of Sustainable Livestock Production Research Agricultural Sciences on lamb meat production and lamb meat cut demonstrations.
Three trainings related to lamb meat cuts, packaging, value-added production products, and sanitation were held, and webinars related to lamb meat production were developed with professionals from Puerto Rico and Colombia invited as speakers.
All conference proceedings and the newsletter, along with other relevant information related to lamb production and processing can be found on the Tai Lamb Meat webpage.
State Contacts
SARE State Coordinators are vital for expanding sustainable agriculture training for Extension, NRCS, and other agricultural professionals, who will then help producers transition to a more sustainable agriculture.
SARE IN PUERTO RICO
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The Puerto Rico Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) is a professional development program sponsored by the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez College of Agricultural Sciences. The university works to deliver a program that enhances the environmental, social, and economic sustainability of Puerto Rico through research and education. Puerto Rico SARE partners with researchers, extension faculty, producers, and community organizations to research and implement the best science-based practices available in all aspects of Puerto Rico's agricultural system. In addition to research, SARE is dedicated to providing education in sustainable agriculture through various trainings offered each year.
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