The Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Forestry stated in Ponta Delgada that the Regional Government's proposal for a regional supplement to the dairy cow premium, amounting to 45 Euros, is in line with the restructuring strategy for the dairy sector. 

"This measure to support milk producers' income announced by the President of the Regional Government will not encourage producers to have more animals or increase their production, as this supplement will be allocated based on the animals that are already registered," João Ponte said, refuting the idea that this measure stimulates the increase of milk production.
 
The government official spoke on the sidelines of a meeting with the Board of Directors of the São Miguel Agricultural Association, stressing that the Regional Government is working to ensure that this aid is paid in October, the month when the anticipated payment of POSEI aid to producers take place. 

This meeting with Jorge Rita was also intended to analyse the proposed ordinance on the conversion of dairy farms to beef production on the islands of São Miguel, Terceira and Graciosa, which will be a voluntary process but the conversion will be definitive. 

This is another measure of the Regional Government's strategy for the restructuring of the dairy sector. It also encompasses the cessation of agricultural activity, whose legislation was approved last week at the Legislative Assembly, as well as the possibility for producers to reduce the number of animals and milk production by 20%, while maintaining the support granted under POSEI. 

The Regional Secretary stated that the ordinance should be sent for publication in the Official Journal "very shortly" so that farmers can apply for this measure and begin the conversion process as soon as possible. 

According to the proposed ordinance, farmers who delivered milk to factories located on the islands of São Miguel, Terceira or Graciosa in 2019 may apply for suckler cow premium rights. It should be noted that the rights to be allocated are not transferable, nor the quantity of reference for milk deliveries considered for the purposes of calculating the number of rights. 

"The criteria defined for the selection of applicants take into account hygiene and sanitary procedures in milk production, producers with less quantity of milk delivered and older producers," said João Ponte. 

"The aim is to have better farms in terms of quality and infrastructures," the Regional Secretary said, adding that this specific measure responds to the alleged overproduction of milk that the industries claim to exist on the islands of São Miguel, Terceira and Graciosa.