Benito Medero
Encyclopedia
Benito Medero was an Uruguayan
politician.
.
He was intendente (intendant) and council member of Flores. And in 1967- was elected as a congressman of the national assembly.
In the 1960s with the support of the World Bank he created and directed the Plan Agropecuario with the objective of improving the productivity of Uruguay's natural pastures using New Zealand technology . The program was very successful until 1972 when the UK joined the EEC and stopped buying Uruguayan beef, which caused prices to fall and the cost of new technology become unprofitable . This pioneer effort grew as wildfire bringing new ideas and technology that had a profound impact in the following generation of argronomist and ranchers. It also had a long term impact which helped the excelente export performance of the dairy and cattle industries 30 years later.
Today the New Zealanders are buying land in Uruguay, improving pastures, increasing dairy yields and export prices have doubled. The seed sown by Alberto Gallinal and his dicipules was not lost, the dream has become a reality.
In 1962-1964 he was the President of the Asociación Rural del Uruguay (Uruguayan Rural Association
).
, (himself a rancher). As minister he built a dozen of huge silos in areas that had none. Those silos created the critical mass for the development of agriculture and local farm cooperatives.
historically.
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
politician.
Background
He was a 5th generation cattle rancher in the Flores DepartmentFlores Department
-History and cultural heritage:The department, created by President Máximo Santos, is named after the former Colorado Party leader, Venancio Flores, who was born in Trinidad in the nineteenth century.The department has many sites of prehistoric rock art...
.
He was intendente (intendant) and council member of Flores. And in 1967- was elected as a congressman of the national assembly.
Agricultural activities
In the 1950s he joined Alberto Gallinal, Carlos Frick and Carlos Pereira Iraola in the creation of the Sociedad de Praderas, an honorary association whose objective was to improve the productivity of Uruguay's natural grassland.In the 1960s with the support of the World Bank he created and directed the Plan Agropecuario with the objective of improving the productivity of Uruguay's natural pastures using New Zealand technology . The program was very successful until 1972 when the UK joined the EEC and stopped buying Uruguayan beef, which caused prices to fall and the cost of new technology become unprofitable . This pioneer effort grew as wildfire bringing new ideas and technology that had a profound impact in the following generation of argronomist and ranchers. It also had a long term impact which helped the excelente export performance of the dairy and cattle industries 30 years later.
Today the New Zealanders are buying land in Uruguay, improving pastures, increasing dairy yields and export prices have doubled. The seed sown by Alberto Gallinal and his dicipules was not lost, the dream has become a reality.
In 1962-1964 he was the President of the Asociación Rural del Uruguay (Uruguayan Rural Association
Voluntary association
A voluntary association or union is a group of individuals who enter into an agreement as volunteers to form a body to accomplish a purpose.Strictly speaking, in many jurisdictions no formalities are necessary to start an association...
).
Minister of Agriculture under President Bordaberry
In 1972 he was designated Minister of Agriculture for the President Juan María BordaberryJuan María Bordaberry
Juan María Bordaberry Arocena was a Uruguayan politician and cattle rancher, who first served as President from 1972 until 1976, including as a dictator from 1973 until his ouster in a 1976 coup...
, (himself a rancher). As minister he built a dozen of huge silos in areas that had none. Those silos created the critical mass for the development of agriculture and local farm cooperatives.
Death and legacy
Medero died in 2007. He is remembered mainly as a technocratic politician representing enduring agricultural interests which were so important to UruguayUruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
historically.
See also
- Politics of UruguayPolitics of UruguayThe Politics of Uruguay abide by a presidential representative democratic republic, under which the President of Uruguay is both the head of state and the head of government, as well as a multiform party system. The president exercises executive power and Legislative power is vested in the two...