Raúl Sanz, elected new president of PROVACUNO

The General Assembly of PROVACUNO , the Interprofessional Beef Organization , has elected Raúl Sanz as the new president of the interprofessional organization, after receiving the unanimous support of the different associations that make it up, replacing Jaime Yartu, who has been at the head of the organization since December 2022.

Vice President of PROVACUNO since December 2022, Raúl Sanz is the director of the COVAP Meat Group , one of Spain's leading agri-food cooperatives and a European benchmark for integrating livestock farming, industry, and the market. A graduate in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Córdoba, Sanz assumes the position with a commitment to promoting the social and economic value of beef to consumers and society, expanding the international reach of our product, and developing initiatives that enhance the product's value and stimulate livestock production.

A legacy of growth and cohesion

Jaime Yartu, who has presided over the association for the past three years, has been a key figure in the many advances made during this period: “We have seen a continuous increase in our exports and have managed to open important export markets, such as the reopening of Algeria. We have also taken significant steps to improve the public perception of our sector, such as the Beef Awards and the Cow Gallery initiative, and we have launched important internationalization programs like It's Time for EU Beef. Beef from Spain to promote European beef in the Philippines, Japan, and Singapore, and communication programs such as the European program on the economic, social, and environmental sustainability of beef cattle, ' For a Sustainable Europe | The Special Mission of Beef ,' both of which are currently underway.”

In his farewell speech, Yartu stated that "it has been an honor to represent the thousands of farmers and industry professionals who are the driving force of our rural communities. I leave with the satisfaction of a job well done, knowing that we are leaving behind a stronger and more united association. I am convinced that Raúl Sanz has the vision necessary to take our sector to the next level in an increasingly demanding global environment."

The roadmap for the next three years

In his first remarks, President-elect Raúl Sanz stated that he assumes this responsibility “with humility and a clear determination: to highlight the true value of our sector. We not only produce top-quality food, but we are also the main ally in combating depopulation and protecting the environment. My priority will be to work to contribute to the sector's prosperity, guaranteeing the profitability and competitiveness of our farms and industries in the face of the legislative and market challenges we face.”

“The Spanish beef sector is at a turning point, arriving as a global benchmark in quality, animal welfare and sustainability, but with high prices that are diminishing our ability to compete abroad, the result of growing demand and a reduced supply of animals, which forces us, as a sector, to reflect deeply on what we want our future to be like,” explained the new president of PROVACUNO.

Among the interprofessional organization's upcoming challenges, Sanz points to the need to continue focusing on opening new markets, the research area to further improve the sustainability of this sector, working on aspects such as the carbon footprint or the water footprint, bringing the reality of the sector closer to society, especially to the youngest, by continuing activities such as Meat Detectives and promoting newer ones such as Hello Don Pepito, or working to alleviate some of the main challenges of the sector such as the need to stimulate domestic production, or the lack of generational renewal with initiatives such as Campus Provacuno, which aims to bring this sector closer to university students.

Following this General Assembly, the PROVACUNO board of directors is formed as follows:

• President: Raúl Sanz ( Agri-food Cooperatives of Spain )
• Vice President: Narcís Cañigueral (FECIC)
• Secretary: Cecilio Folgado (AGEMCEX)
• Treasurer: Eliseu Isla (ASOPROVAC)
• Vowels:

1. Daniel Bianchi (CEDECARNE)
2. Giuseppe Aloisio (ANICE)
3. Joaquín Gargallo (COAG)
4. José Friguls (ANAFRIC)
5. José Ramón González (UPA)
6. Juan Luis Delgado (ASAJA)
7. Octavio Gonzalo (Agri-food Cooperatives of Spain)

About PROVACUNO

PROVACUNO is the Interprofessional Beef Organization, a private, non-profit, national entity, made up of the main organizations of the production sector and the processing/marketing sector to defend the interests of the beef sector, a meeting place and forum for debate to improve the situation of the sectoral food chain.