Project brings pork to school meals in seven municipalities in Mato Grosso

Between September 16th and 19th, the Mato Grosso Swine Breeders Association (Acrismat), an affiliate of the Brazilian Swine Breeders Association (ABCS), visited seven municipalities in Mato Grosso with the "Pork in School Lunches" project. The cities visited were Alto Taquari, Alto Araguaia, Alto Garças, Pedra Preta, Araguainha, Itiquira, and Ponte Branca. The objective of the initiative was to gain a firsthand understanding of the reality of schools regarding the supply of pork in student diets and, in the future, to train school lunch professionals. The initiative included a lecture on the "Myths and Truths" of pork, as well as a culinary workshop using ingredients found in school kitchens, combined with different pork cuts, to present attractive, balanced, and nutritious dishes at an affordable price.

According to Acrismat manager Karina Queiroz, the response was positive: "All municipalities expressed great interest in the project, and now we'll wait to develop a course schedule. Unfortunately, we found that, of all these municipalities, three still don't offer pork in their school meals, either due to religious reasons or pure prejudice. Others offer it, but sporadically. Even so, we're excited because we were very well received, and the nutritionists showed interest in implementing the initiative," she noted.

To strengthen the dialogue, Acrismat used ABCS materials that address the nutrition, safety, and benefits of pork in childhood and during the learning process, always in accordance with the guidelines of the National School Feeding Program (PNAE). The supporting material is available to the public in the booklet "Pork in School Feeding," which can be accessed here. at this link.

ABCS President Marcelo Lopes congratulated the state school for the initiative: "We created this material with support from the National Swine Development Fund (FNDS) to enhance the work of our affiliates. We are happy to see it being put into practice. Pork has enormous potential to supply schools throughout Brazil, benefiting both students and local producers," he concluded.