USSEC recently provided technical service to its preferred customers in the Dominican Republic.
Consultant Julio Chaves visited two sausage plants, one of which is the largest in Central America and the Caribbean.  He and the plant manager made plans to have a seminar next September about sausage labelling regulations, non-meat ingredients and nitrite.  The other sausage plant that was visited is still under construction, so Mr. Chaves discussed the needs of the future plant such as raw meat material, equipment and personnel, pinpointing the most relevant aspects of each component in the sausage and pig harvest sections of the plant.
The consultant next visited three supermarkets in the cities of Santiago, Moca and Santo Domingo to talk with the people working in the butcher section about meats, the quality of meats and meat conservation.  Mr. Chaves also visited the Dominican Federation of Swine Producers (FEDOPORC) to talk with members of the board about the next Central American and Caribbean Pork Congress to be celebrated in Dominican Republic in August 2015.  Finally, he met with the U.S. Agriculture Attaché to discuss ideas about a program to be developed next September for the food industry in that country.