Guatemalan Jersey Cattle Breeders Association
Chair
Martha Melgar, 58, is a prominent cattle rancher from San José Pinula, Guatemala. She holds a degree in Nutrition and is the mother of three sons. For several years now, she has been managing her family’s farm, La Primavera, a 117-hectare property, of which 60 hectares are forest and 42 are dedicated to livestock production, with a focus on producing and marketing dairy products such as cheese, cream, and cottage cheese (requesón).
Her connection to ranching runs deep—she belongs to the fourth generation of a ranching family. She took over management of the farm following the passing of her brother and father, in the midst of the impacts brought by Tropical Storm Agatha. Since then, she has taken full responsibility for overseeing operations, planning, and making strategic production decisions.
Martha has faced the effects of climate change on her farm with resilience, including irregular rainfall, more intense heat waves, and crop and forage losses. To adapt, she has made changes in pasture rotation, identified safer areas for her livestock, and developed strategies to ensure animal welfare and continued production despite climate variability.
In addition to her role as a producer, Martha has emerged as a strong leader in the sector. Since 2021, she has served on the board of the Guatemalan Jersey Cattle Breeders Association, first as vice president and later as president. She has also held positions within the Chamber of Milk Producers (CPLG) and the Guatemalan Federation of Cattle Ranchers (FEGAGUATE), and currently serves as treasurer of Cooproleche.