Gov’t launches livestock traceability system

Rosely Hernández, executive director of the Beef Industry Promotion Fund, and Agriculture Secretary Irving Rodríguez Torres

Also distributes more than 100 tablets to boost efficiency

By THE STAR STAFF

The Puerto Rico Department of Agriculture announced two major initiatives Tuesday aimed at modernizing the island’s agricultural sector, including the rollout of a cattle traceability system and the delivery of more than 100 electronic tablets to agronomists and inspectors.

Public Affairs Secretary Jean Peña Payano and Agriculture Secretary Irving Rodríguez Torres said the moves are part of Gov. Jenniffer González Colón’s push to increase efficiency and transparency across government agencies.

A total of $190,709 has been allocated for the launch of the Rumitrace system, Puerto Rico’s first bovine traceability platform. The funding, facilitated through a collaborative agreement between the Agriculture Department, the Agricultural Development Innovation Fund (FIDA by its acronym in Spanish), and the Beef Industry Promotion Fund, will also support training and educational programs for livestock producers.

Rumitrace uses ruminal boluses -- inserted electronic devices -- with unique global identification numbers that stay with each animal for life, ensuring secure and permanent identification. The system is designed to automate the registration of births, movements, processing and slaughter, which officials say will reduce errors and boost efficiency throughout the supply chain.

“With this investment, we’re delivering a strategic tool to protect our herds, support local production and raise standards for oversight,” Rodríguez Torres said. “It’s part of our commitment to a modern, data-driven agriculture.”

Rosely Hernández, executive director of the Beef Industry Promotion Fund, said the project would offer permanent and secure identification for cattle, building confidence in local production and deterring livestock theft.

“This is a decisive step for our industry,” Hernández said.

Officials said Rumitrace will also help with inventory management, production planning for meat and milk, and transparency in agricultural incentive programs. Integration with smart hardware such as reading antennas, handheld readers and electronic scales will allow for real-time data collection on farms and at slaughterhouses.

In addition, the Department of Agriculture began distributing 105 electronic tablets to agronomists, market inspectors, and both state and federal inspectors across its eight regional offices. The move will help digitize processes, speed up inspections, and improve the accuracy of data collection, Rodríguez Torres said.

“We’re bringing technology directly to the field, where it’s needed most,” he said. “These tools will enable our teams to work faster and more precisely, strengthening the support we offer to farmers in every region.” 

The Rumitrace system’s automated alerts for unauthorized movement help reduce the millions of dollars lost annually to cattle rustling. The system also ensures farmers can prove ownership and herd size for insurance and federal claims in the event of a natural disaster.

Both the Rumitrace investment and the tablet distribution are part of the administration’s broader effort to modernize government operations and drive economic development in agriculture, officials said.