The Regional Secretary for Agriculture and the Environment stated in Praia da Vitória that the Regional Government intends "to build bridges between all parties" under the Milk Forum so that the Region "may strive in the international market." The Milk Forum meets for the second time.
 
Speaking to journalists before the beginning of the works, Luís Neto Viveiros pointed out that these "bridges" require the development of strategies and the coordination of efforts for the benefit of the milk sector.
 
In this regard, the government official stressed that the aim is to overcome current difficulties caused by the surplus of international production and drop of prices in the Azores is the result of external circumstances, "namely the end of the milk quota system and the contraction of emerging markets." The meeting will also address the perspective of future development.
 
The forum will be held under the main theme "Communication and Globalisation: Opportunities and Challenges for the Milk and Dairy Sector of the Autonomous Region of the Azores." In addition to guest speakers, it brings together the president of the Azores Agricultural Federation, Jorge Rita, the representative of National Association of Dairy Industries, Jorge Costa Leite, and the representative of LactAçores, António Aguiar.
 
Francisco Avillez will be one of the guest speakers of this second meeting. He was recently appointed as "special adviser" to the European Commissioner for Agriculture, Phil Hogan.
 
Francisco Avillez is a professor at the Higher Institute of Agronomy. He leads a team that has carried out a thorough technical and economic characterization of the milk sector at the request of the Government of the Azores.
 
The conclusions of the 2nd Milk Forum will be presented at a joint press conference to be held at 5 PM at the new premises of Praia da Vitória Vocational Training School on Terceira Island.