Sheinbaum spends a million dollars for national meat (and to calm the farmers)
Well, it turns out that in the midst of the geopolitical-bovine drama of the moment, our President Claudia Sheinbaum has decided that the solution is not just thoughts and prayers, but a capital injection of 700 million pesos. Yes, you read correctly: 700 MDP. An amount that would make any influencer in a boutique cry with emotion, but here it is destined to revolutionize meat production in Durango, Coahuila and Sonora. Basically, the north will become more cattle-rich than ever.
The announcement was made from Durango, with an energy that can only be compared to that of a CEO announcing a new collection, but instead of clothes, it is so that we do not run out of a good cut of meat for the weekend barbecue. The underlying reason is as surreal as it sounds: the closing of the border with the United States by the famous (and hated) screwworm. A plague that sounds like a villain from a Marvel movie, but in real life it is wreaking havoc on the economy of thousands of families.
Credits, studs and a plan with a movie name
In a speech that mixed realpolitik with a touch of girlboss energy, Sheinbaum told the point: ranchers didn’t just want credits (because, let’s be honest, who wants more debt in these inflationary times). They asked for more direct support. And the president, in a move that any finance tiktoker would have approved, agreed, but with one condition: that support be prioritized for small producers, those who have few heads of livestock. That is, to those who need it most, not to those who already have a ranch the size of a European country.
What does this millionaire translate into? Well, in a livestock combo that includes: delivery of bovine stallions (yes, the top bulls to improve genetics), a support fund for fattening (so that the animals are at their ideal weight, as if it were January and everyone started the gym) and comprehensive meat production centers. The ultimate goal is to produce meat of the best quality for the domestic market and for export. Basically, we want Mexican meat to be as popular as a Taylor Swift album.
But why all the fuss? It all goes back to a few months ago, when the United States Government decided, unilaterally (as they usually do), to stop the export of Mexican livestock. The argument: the presence of the fearsome screwworm. Although, to be fair, the Mexican authorities, led by Secretary of Agriculture Julio Berdegué, had already implemented controls to minimize the problem. But we already know how things are with the neighbor to the north: at the first opportunity, they turn off the tap.
Plan México: because what is made at home always tastes better
Faced with this scenario, Sheinbaum and the governors of Sonora, Coahuila and Durango, together with the livestock associations, made a decision that is pure mindset: yes, we must continue seeking to reopen exports, but we must also strengthen the internal market. And thus, within the framework of Plan Mexico, this strategy was born so that the country produces the best of the best. It is not just about selling abroad, but about ensuring that here, at home, we have top quality products.
It is a move that combines food sovereignty with a pinch of well-understood rebellion. Instead of depending exclusively on the whim of the international market, we are committed to strengthening the local production chain. Or, as we would say colloquially, instead of begging for a space at the neighbor’s table, we set up our own banquet.
So, now you know: the next time you enjoy a good roast beef, think that behind that steak may be the effort of a small producer from Durango, supported by a federal program that, at least on paper, sounds promising. Sheinbaum promised to return to account. I hope so, because 700 million pesos are not a small thing, and we will all be vigilant, with a fork in one hand and a cell phone in the other, to see if this project bears fruit… or is carried away by the wind (and the screwworm).
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