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Manuel Enrique Martínez Arbona, who leads the Milk Sector of the Puerto Rican Farmers Association, announced on Tuesday that the production of raw milk in the region has seen a 14% decrease from the previous year.
This reduction is mainly linked to a fall in the number of cows available for production.
“Firstly, a significant decline in cow conception rates due to heightened temperatures last year and this year has led to fewer births within the herds,” stated Martínez Arbona in a written communication. “Secondly, the reduction in cow purchases stems from rising costs in the continental United States and the market closure caused by bird flu since April. Finally, there has been a decrease in milk output due to a shortage of quality ingredients required for balanced feed formulations.”
In response to the issue, since September 2023, the Puerto Rico Department of Agriculture along with the PR Milk Producers Cooperative (known as COOPPLE) has initiated the Tropically Adapted Genetic Transformation Program (ProGen PR), aimed at enhancing reproductive management on dairy farms and offering a $400 incentive for assured pregnancies within 90 days.
Furthermore, the Department of Agriculture established a fair payment system for dairy farmers in 2022, positively impacting producers with an average compensation of 90.25 cents per quart of raw milk, along with quality and added value incentives surpassing $6.2 million over the last year.
Since 2021, COOPPLE has also launched the 100% Free Grazing Program to minimize the carbon footprint, certify soil and water conservation practices, and enhance production quality in tropical climates, as noted by Martínez Arbona.
