The Regional Secretary for Agriculture and the Environment stated in Ponta Delgada that veterinarians play "a major role" in an economy based on agricultural production, noting that, in this context, the Regional Government reinforced the hiring of experts in order to "fulfil a commitment taken" during this legislative period.
 
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Azores Office of the Portuguese Veterinary Association stressed that, since 2013, the Government has hired more than a dozen veterinarians to work in official government departments.
 
In his speech, the Secretary for Agriculture assured that this effort will be pursued and highlighted the contribution of veterinarians to the success achieved in the Region regarding the genetic improvement of specimens as well as of animal well-being and health.
 
"This work is also in line with the efforts undertaken by the Government, farmers and their associations," said the government official.
 
Viveiros Neto highlighted "the success we have achieved in the Brucellosis Eradication Programme" as well as the decisive contribution of the Azores to declare Portugal as "Negligible BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy) Risk Country."
 
The Regional Secretary also revealed that we have already achieved "good results in relatively short time," following the intense regional bovine tuberculosis screening campaign developed with the cooperation of agricultural associations, particularly on S. Miguel and Pico.
 
"We have been notified by the Directorate-General for Food and Veterinary [national authority for animal health] that, given the results registered in this screening programme, we reduced the number of interventions in animals throughout the archipelago to 33%," stressed the government official.
 
"The goal we pursue is to achieve excellence" so that we may contribute to the Region's export capacity, boost the income of meat and dairy producers and heifer breeders, and ensure food safety and public health," said Neto Viveiros.
 
In this context, he stressed that the Government of the Azores has increased the funding for animal health and improvement for the fourth consecutive year, representing an increase of 19%.