By Isamaris Aparicio González
The change of generations
In Hatillo, Puerto Rico, a municipality known as “The Capital of the Dairy Industry”, Carlos Alberto Pérez Pérez, a 3rd generation dairy farmer and agronomist from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus, visits his farm every day with the desire to make a difference and the passion to educate and create a more efficient system for traditional dairy farming. His story with farming began with his grandfather, Don Benjamín Pérez, who started a dairy farm in 1974 and raised his family around it. Carlos' father followed the steps of his own, becoming part of the dairy farmer community, and now Carlos is committed to continuing the family legacy.
Carlos witnessed his father's unwavering dedication to dairy farming, to the point of being late to his own wedding to deliver a calf. "Fortunately, the one who waited at the altar was my mother and they have been married for 36 years", said Carlos as he described how farming became a passion for his entire family. Carlos’ farm “Hato Don Benja” is named in honor of his grandfather. It is a place where cows graze on 19 acres overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Carlos’ Voisin style rotational grazing has led him to produce quality milk he provides for his family’s cheese industry, “El Casero”. To ensure quality, he performs genomic tests on his cows meticulously choosing them based on their performance potential.
Source : usda.gov