This Monday, the representatives of the Executive Branch assumed their positions at the National Meat Institute (INAC), with Gastón Scayola as president and Leonardo Bove as vice president. The INAC hall was packed during the ceremony, attended by members of the meatpacking industry, producer associations, and officials from the meat institution.
In his remarks, Scayola —who held senior positions at the San Jacinto meatpacking plant for 18 years and represented the industry on INAC’s Board— said he has “the best job we could possibly have, which is selling Uruguay to the world.” To achieve this, he highlighted the “public assets” of the Uruguayan meat complex, such as universal cattle traceability, open-air production, the ban on hormone use, and added that “we must turn into a public good the fact that we are a country producing sustainably.”
Regarding the “major guidelines” for INAC under his leadership, he expressed his willingness for the organization to “be one of the driving forces” in finding “ways to encourage breeding.” Alfredo Fratti, who took office last Thursday as Minister of Livestock, placed that segment of the chain at the center of his upcoming work leading the ministry.
Scayola added that “it is not logical” for the industry to have 30% of its slaughter capacity idle.
He went on to say that, with respect to international integration, “we will seek more markets” and work “to pay fewer tariffs.” He believes that in today’s geopolitical climate, there may be a better chance of reaching an agreement between Mercosur and the European Union.
Scayola concluded by stating that having “children under five and pregnant women without access to meat is a luxury we cannot afford.”
