PRMIA: A STRATEGIC ALLIANCE IMPACTING PUERTO RICO�S MEAT AND POULTRY INDUSTRY BY USING IMMERSIVE TEACHING METHODS TO DELIVER INSTRUCTION

The main goal of the proposed project is to organize the meat and poultry industry (MPI) in Puerto Rico to developpe its workforce, and strategically strengthen the industry as a whole.Specific objectives follow:Objective 1 - Establish the Puerto Rico Meat Industry Alliance (PRMIA) to bring together all meat industry stakeholders (i.e., production, harvesting, processing, academia, and government) to prepare and implement a combined strategic development plan.Objective 2 - Establish an industry accepted certificate to provide the food safety and technical knowledge and skills needed at farm and slaughterhouse levels.Objective 3 - Prepare faculty to offer the industry accepted certificate assuring effort sustainability post project intervention.Objective 4 - Develop a plan for the establishment of a rendering facility to research alternative feed ingredients that maintain nutritional quality while reducing costs.