VISION STATEMENT
An honest, strong and innovative association to lead the agricultural and farming development, contributing, in harmony with the other sectors, to Uruguay's transformation and insertion in the global market with the purpose of achieving the well-being of its inhabitants.

MISSION
As a private, nation-wide association, our Mission comprises:

• The agri-business defense and promotion, watching the interests of the agrarian production and of the complementary and derived industries.
• The support and promotion of the rural population, in the human, ethic, cultural and economic aspects.
• The unity and harmony in the effort of those devoted to the agri-business.
• The on-going development of our people, aiming at their personal and professional growth.

LEGAL FORMAT
Nation-wide, private, non-profit institution, founded on October 3, 1871.

FUNCTIONS
Its cornerstone is the conviction that dedication to this association should be vocational as well as professional, and that the best way to look after the agro-business interests is through its strategic insertion in the country's economy to promote its development and a better quality of life for its inhabitants. Consequently, the association's actions are based on the knowledge and experience of its leaders as well as on a technical body that supports the institution in the decision-making process.

The work and operation of the association is based on permanent contributions and on the search of macro and interest-section policies to boost the rural and agri-business into the realm of free enterprise, market economy and healthy competition.

SERVICES
The Rural Association of Uruguay (Asociación Rural del Uruguay, ARU) offers a variety of services which benefit not only its members but also the entire range of producers.

ADVICE
Function:
To fulfill one of the goals set by any modern association: the communication and processing of inquiries related to the field. That is to gather requests and queries from people, and to inform systematically, based on years of experience. The system works with specific questions and requests for orientation, since it is not expected to compete against private, professional advice.

Users' benefits:
The availability of a reliable source of information to:

• answer specific questions
• direct users to specialists
• find out interests, information and suggestions for its performance, thus making ARU's work better

Based on:

• a wide networking system
• experience

With the purpose of:

• saving time
• being advised
• being heard
• finding answers

MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS
ARU, 125 years after its foundation, encompasses almost 2,000 members nation-wide. The Institution's performance is also developed through its trade associations and societies, each and every one of which in its specialty, works to make the agri-business better, and to orient users within its guidelines and towards its specific objectives.

Currently 41 associations with over 5,000 members from all the country make up part of the Institution through their actions, and they work for the agricultural development. They are pedigree- bovine, ovine, swine, equine, goat, poultry, rabbit- breeders, apiculturists, forestry producers, farmers who consume biological products, and business-people at agro and eco-tourism, among others.

BIOGRAPHY
José Bonica Henderson

.José Bonica Henderson graduated as agronomist in 1980 at the Republic University of Uruguay. He acted as consultant in rice, dry land agriculture and stock breeders systems production.

He was member of the Irrigation National Board, director of the Hereford’s Bulls Performance Center and president of Hereford Breeders Union of Uruguay.

Since 2006 he has represented Asociación Rural del Uruguay at the INIA’s board (National Agricultural Research Institute).

At the present, his mainly occupation is as farm manager on rice and beef cattle breeders production.

Since October 2010 he is the president of Asociación Rural del Uruguay.