Tai Lamb Meat Marketing and Promotion Educational Program (TAILAM-EP)

Commodities

• Animals: sheep

Practices

• Education and Training: demonstration, display, extension, mentoring, networking, technical assistance, workshop
• Farm Business Management: marketing management, value added

Over the last 4 years, Puerto Rico has been experiencing one of the worst economic crisis in its history. This has stagnated economic development, reduced employment markets and led to the creation of the Financial Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA) by the Federal Government. Hurricanes Irma and Maria, two earthquakes during 2020, and the COVID-19 outbreak, have aggravated this crisis. Although this series of events have weakened our fragile food security, an increased interest in small ruminant production has been observed. Lamb producers have seen an opportunity to enhance their production systems and improve marketing strategies foredible products.

In addition, a recent program sponsored by the Puerto Rico Department of Agriculture Small Ruminant Production Fund (DA-SRPF) to import purebred replacement ewes and goats, and the use of sheep to manage grass in solar farms, and weeds in coffee and citrus plantations, have increased animal inventories. However, Puerto Rico continues to import lamb meat and goat dairy products for domestic consumption at higher prices than local products. In order to meet this demand, other livestock producers are responding by entering into this sector.

On the other hand, there are knowledge gaps on proper sheep production management practices, especially value added products, marketing and promotion. It is imperative that the local producer have access to the necessary tools to improve the competitiveness and promote the development, expansion, and the sustainable production of the animal industry, and the subsequent process of locally produced lamb edible products. To increase small ruminant productivity, sustainability, and profitability, a program developed to aid producers with appropriate educational materials is necessary. Through the knowledge of value added, low-cost production management practices, enhanced productivity and marketing, producers will achieve optimum production while producing a high-quality product.

Also, information in Spanish on sustainable small ruminant production, value added basics, marketing  in tropical areas, specifically in Puerto Rico and the continental USA, is limited. The few available publications focused on that topic are only available in English. This fact limits the accessibility of information uneducated producers or those with limited internet access. Therefore, it's important to produce educational materials in this clientele’s native language.

The objective of this proposal is to create the "Tai Lamb Meat Marketing and Promotion Educational Program" (TAILAM-EP), that will target independent producers, Agricultural Extension Service county agents, and other clientele to educate them on 1) understanding Value Added process 2) Marketing Strategies 3) E-Commerce  4) Economics 5) Records 6) Budget. The TAILAM-EP will be using webinars, webpages, brochures, site visits and hands on as main delivery methods. As part of the proposal, a technical brochures will be written. An annual conference will be held with the participation of invited speakers.

To create the Tai Lamb Meat Marketing and Promotion Educational Program (TAILAM-EP) to develop educational materials to enhance sustainable small ruminant production on the island. Specific objectives include:

1. Development and presentation of educational conferences via webinars and in-house for producers, county agents and other interested clientele on Sustainable Small Ruminant Production in the Tropic.
2. Development of educational material, brochures on adding value to Lamb Meat and explaining the best way to market the product.
3. Organization of the Annual Conference on Sustainable Lamb Production in the Tropic, focusing on marketing and promotion, with the participation of invited speakers from mainland United States or Latin American countries,
4. Assessment of the impact of the TAILAM-EP on producers and county agent’s knowledge on adding value and marketing best principles.