Ahome cattle farmers submit Sader plan on milk, genetics and equipment
The leadership of the Local Cattlemen’s Association of Ahome submitted a portfolio of projects to the Secretariat of Agriculture and Rural Development, known as Sader. The proposals are intended to support dairy production in northern Sinaloa and include measures for milk collection, farm equipment and genetic improvement.
Farmers requested commercial arrangements that would provide greater certainty for the collection of fluid milk. They proposed direct support and improved sales channels with regional processors, saying that prices paid at the farm gate have not matched the costs of extracting the milk in the Fuerte Valley. The association also asked federal authorities to establish working groups capable of setting pricing principles for the area and addressing producers’ concerns about household incomes.
Dairy farming in the municipality combines dual-purpose cattle with semi-intensive housing. High temperatures in north-western Mexico have affected production, and the plan therefore includes rapid-cooling equipment, ventilated sheds and mechanised milking systems. The farmers also proposed upgrading shared collection centres so they can handle larger volumes under hygienic conditions, with lower bacterial counts and compliance with the physicochemical standards required by pasteurisation plants.
According to the proposal, better-equipped collection points would help bring small, dispersed rural farms into the formal supply chain. Immediate refrigeration is also intended to limit volume losses during the hottest months. Milk from the Sinaloa basin is sold mainly to artisan cheesemakers and wholesalers of fresh dairy products, where farmers say commercial conditions can reduce the value assigned to raw milk.
The association said that the absence of a permanent institutional buyer or long-term supply contracts leaves farms exposed to damaging seasonal price changes. It also raised concerns about competition from modified dairy formulas and products made with vegetable fats, which it said displace cheeses made from pure cow’s milk. Its proposals call for public policies supporting the consumption of authentic pasteurised products and for state assistance programmes to give priority to locally produced milk.
On cattle improvement, producers called for the renewal of genetic programmes using registered bulls and sexed semen suited to the region’s warm climate and irrigated valleys. They said medium-sized herds often cannot finance certified genetic material because their budgets are directed towards water and feed. Drought has increased the cost of alfalfa bales, maize silage and balanced concentrates, raising the cost per litre of milk. The sector consequently requested preferential credit and joint funding schemes for replacing breeding cows and acquiring modern machinery for forage production.
The plan also calls for transparent and timely payments that reflect the quality of the milk, along with faster access to equipment and technical assistance. The proposals were submitted for consideration in the 2026–2030 programme that Sader is seeking to implement in Sinaloa.
