Monte do Pasto launches sustainable meat project with universities

Monte do Pasto is developing a sustainable meat production project in partnership with Portuguese institutions including the University of Évora and the University of Minho.

The project, named “Ethical Meat – Integrated System for Sustainable Meat Production,” aims to develop more sustainable meat products that respect animal welfare through research, technology and innovation.

The project will invest in research and the development of innovative processes and technologies to enable the production of meat products with higher levels of animal welfare and sustainability.

Speaking to the Times, António Trindade, CEO and president of CESL Asia, the local company which acquired Monte do Pasto, said that the goal of the project is to be “economically sustainable.”

“We are developing comprehensive standards,” said Trindade, adding that  the group signed a protocol to establish a share for sustainable agriculture and animal welfare.

“We will use [technologies] that is already there and take it and contribute to Macau, China and to the world by engaging in this program.”

Parallel to the partnership already established between Monte do Pasto and Évora University for the development of “Ethical Meat,” the two entities also agreed on a Collaborative Innovation partnership. The partnership will provide for the creation of a new chair centered on the agricultural sector, animal welfare and sustainability, to develop that area and attract and retain qualified professionals in the region.

According to a joint statement, Clara Moura Guedes, managing director of Monte do Pasto, added that the project’s ultimate goal is to “create a meat product that integrates high commercial value qualifiers: animal welfare, sustainability, quality standards, extended shelf life, sustainable packaging, reduction of food waste, ensuring a potential for capturing value and creating positive environmental and social impact throughout the chain.”