For more information: www.icomst2014.com.uy / info@icomst2014.com.uy

Instituto Nacional de Investigación AgropecuariaU R U G U A Y ASOCIACIÓN URUGUAYA

DE PRODUCCIÓN ANIMAL

Monday, August 18th

ICOMST 2014 opening ceremony in Punta del EsteThe opening ceremony of the International Congress of Meat Science and Technology (ICOMST) was held at the Conrad Hotel inPunta del Este this morning August the 18th.

The Congress is organized by the National Institute of Meat (INAC), the Technological Laboratory of Uruguay (LATU) and the Uruguayan Association of Animal Produc-tion (AUPA).The opening and welcome speeches were delivered by: Ms. Susana Hernandez, Mayor of Maldonado; Dr. Fabio

Montossi, Chair of the ICOMST 2014 Orga-nizing Committee from INIA; Dr. Alvaro Roel, Chairman of INIA; Mr. Alfredo Fratti, Chairman of INAC; Mr. Gabriel Murara, CEO of LATU; Dr. Ali Saadoun, Chairman of AUPA and Mr. Tabare Aguerre (Agricultural Engineer), Minister of Livestock, Agricul-ture and Fisheries.

In their inaugural speeches the authorities emphasized the professionalism, effort and dedication of the working teams of the organizing institutions, as well as the signif-icance of the ministerial and national support given to ICOMST 2014.

Mention of the advances and investment in technology and innovation made by Uruguay at a inter-institutional level to generate a country product based on sustainable production was also made. The growth of quality meat production goes together with the conservation of

natural resources and with generating mechanisms of social inclusion which define and are a source of pride for the private and public organizations that are part of the meat production chain at a national level.

Montossi, in his role as Chair of the Orga-nizing Committee, stressed how our coun-try, by participating in ICOMST since the year 2001, got chosen as the Congress venue with the votes of 30 participating countries in the 2009 Congress. He also explained that the Congress topics-areas of interest and those in need of improve-ment- were defined by means of a survey among the participants of former editions.

Finally, Montossi explained that the Congress was organized by creating five committees that resulted in this ICOMST, achieving the participation of 440 attend-ees from 37 countries and the presence of

25 representatives from national and international media.

Both the organizing institutions and the national authorities emphasized the relevance of this Congress, not only from the point of view of technical exchanges but also as a venue to generate significant relationships regarding the growth of the research agenda in the meat chain at the national level.

main activities on

tuesday the19th

08:30 hs. - Plenary Session III: Consumer preferences,perceptions and meat quality

10:30 hs. - Plenary Session IV: Meat Safety:Pathogen and chemical contaminations andinterventions.

14:10 hs. - Parallel Session V: Meat Processing andPackaging

14:10 hs. - Parallel Session VI: Meat Nutritive Valueand Human Health

20:30 hs. - Traditional Dinner: Montecarlo Ballroom

WEATHER in Punta del Este.

TuesdayAug 19 20º

Increasingcloudiness

MAX

12ºLO

WednesdayAug 20 22º

Partly sunnyand pleasant

MAX

14ºLO

THUrSDAYAug 21 22º

Sunny andwarm

MAX

14ºLO

Strategies for a sustainable beef and sheep meat production in the Pampa Region.

Meat, Tradition and Society in the Pampas Region of South America”, presentation by Ana Ribeiro.

The 60th edition of ICOMST began its activity on Sunday 17 August at the Conrad Hotel in Punta del Este with the Pre-Congress Course given by authorities of INIA, INAC and the Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries (MGAP). This activity, held before the official inaugura-tion of the Congress on 18 August, was attended by many participants from Argentina, Canada, Chile and Nigeria.Mr. Fabio Montossi of INIA referred to strategies for the valorization of Uruguayan meat. During his presentation Montossi mentioned the different actions that are being carried out as regards product differentiation, namely studies of genetics, identification of improvements by means of quality audits, and the nutri-tional value of meat and analy-sis of acceptability by consum-ers. In this sense he empha-sized the importance of the role played by education, research, innovation and communication to meet the

Among the activities prior to the Congress, historian Ana Ribeiro delivered a presentation on the significance of livestock production in Uruguay since the very beginning of the conquest of the River Plate.Ms. Ribeiro explained the place of livestock breeding in the Uruguayan collective imagina-tion from three points of view: wealth, borders and port. She emphasized that since the year 1611, livestock in our land was considered as an attractive source of wealth. Ribeiro

goals set in regard of meat valorization.Mario Rodríguez from the MGAP and Gregorio Dassatti of INAC also took the floor, and underlined the importance of bovine traceability in Uruguay. Rodríguez stated that, though livestock traceability originated in health issues, currently with georeference systems the final consumer can be provided with information. On his hand Gregorio Dassatti of INAC explained the operation of industrial traceability and the validation of the system by means of DNA in a sample of 800 animals, which obtained a 96% confirmation rate as regards the good operation of this tool.

mentioned that Spanish chroniclers were often surprised by the large amount of cattle found in our land.Finally she stressed the role of leather production that was also important for our economy and the defense of our land. Leather was used to be exchanged in the constant confrontations that took place at that time as well as for repairing the walls of the city of Montevideo in the frame-work of the English invasions.

Memories of the welcome cocktail