José Manuel Bolieiro open new CERCLASM building and announces important measures to support agricultural sector - Communication

Presidência do Governo Regional

The President of the Regional Government, José Manuel Bolieiro, accompanied by the Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Food, António Ventura, opened today the new building for the São Miguel Milk Classification Service Laboratory (CERCLASM), an investment of 2.9 million Euros.

This new infrastructure aims to modernise the services and increase the capacity to respond to the growing needs of the regional dairy sector.

The new building includes a laboratory, administrative areas, a garage for service vehicles, technical areas and areas for the movement and parking of staff and visitors.

The aim is to boost the laboratory's operational capacity and endow it with the possibility of analysing new parameters, such as cell differentiation and the fatty acid profile of milk.

"This investment aims to create greater and better functionality, guaranteeing a more effective response to the increase in the number of samples collected for analysis. It also contributes to improving the working conditions of workers and the comfort of our service users," said José Manuel Bolieiro.

During the ceremony, the President of the Government emphasised the fundamental role of agriculture in the Azorean economy, highlighting the significant contribution of the milk sector.

"The Azores, in their journey towards autonomy, have gained recognition, credit and an image as a productive economy, with tradable goods and added value, with agriculture being the best example, starting with the milk sector," said José Manuel Bolieiro.

The leader of the Azorean Government also praised the importance of agriculture as a source of inspiration for other sectors of the economy, emphasising the need for great ambition to achieve the best results.

"We can have no ambition less than the ambition of excellence. We have all the human capabilities, the will and the strategy to reach levels of excellence," he added, emphasising that the agricultural sector creates jobs and generates wealth in the Region.

José Manuel Bolieiro also highlighted the success of the milk sector over the years, pointing out the Azores' ability to “combine science, technique, life experience and identity” in milk production, from collection to sale, adding value to all stages of the value chain.

Regarding the support for the agricultural sector, José Manuel Bolieiro announced a series of measures, including the renewal of support for the purchase of animal feed, with an aid of 10 cents per kilo for a total of 4,000 tonnes.

He also announced the opening of applications for the PRORURAL+ programme, which allocates five million Euros to support investments in farms - farmers can submit their applications from October 14.

The opening of a new period for the conversion of milk production into meat was also announced, mainly targeting the islands of São Miguel, Terceira and Graciosa. This will guarantee the opportunity to increase the Region's production capacity.

José Manuel Bolieiro also announced that the consumption of agricultural diesel will be liberalised from January 2025.

With these initiatives, the Regional Government reaffirms its commitment to the agricultural sector, promoting the modernisation, growth and sustainability of agricultural production. It continues to be an essential pillar of the regional economy, promoting the creation of jobs and wealth in the Region.

Also present at the ceremony were several personalities linked to the agricultural sector, including Jorge Rita, President of the Azores Agricultural Federation, Carlos Anselmo, Deputy Mayor of Ribeira Grande, and Carolina Câmara, President of the Board of Directors of the Institute for Food and Agricultural Markets (IAMA, IPRA).