While the Baguio Dairy Farm continues to establish the foundation for a sound and viable milk industry, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Counselor Morgan Haas along with the personnel from the National Dairy Authority (NDA), visited the facility to have better appreciation of the Dairy Development Project of the Department of Agriculture-Cordillera (DA-CAR).
Aimed at being the milk capital in Cordillera, the Dairy Farm Project seeks to help in addressing the challenges caused by the country’s dependency on imported milk, low productivity, and high production cost including weak market linkages.
During the discussion of Counselor Haas with NDA Administrator Marilyn Mabale and DA-CAR Regional Executive Director (RED) Dr. Cameron Odsey and his staff, Counselor Haas highlighted the need to improvie the dairy industry as part of the campaign on advancing food security.
According to him, in line with their interest in promoting affordable access to safe and nutritious food and aside from trying to provide healthier diet for the young, they also want to provide farmers and average Filipinos an alternative option in farming, instead of just growing vegetables.
“We are also looking on possible technologies that science can offer to hasten and improve productivity and deal with other challenges in dairy production,” he added.
On the other hand, Dr. Odsey explained the operations in the Dairy Farm over the years. He reiterated the primary goal of the Dairy Farm Project which is to make milk available to the highland communities.
“We also want more farmers to engage in dairy production that’s why we continue to develop and share technologies to produce high value animals with proper feeds,” Dr. Odsey said.
In line with what the DA-CAR RED had mentioned, the Dairy Development Project has distributed cattle to qualified farmer beneficiaries and it also provide basic dairy training management as part of its extension services.
Meanwhile, in an interview, NDA Administrator Mabale said that the purpose of the site visit is to observe the farm facility and showcase the Dairy Farm operation to USDA. She shared that they are looking at possible projects in partnership with USDA in in order to upgrade the dairy industry in the region.
Currently, the Baguio Dairy Farm which is managed by DA-CAR located at Baguio Animal Breeding and Research Center (BABRC) houses 48 heads of breeder stock and 55 heads of purebred calves.
From January to July 2021, the farm was able to supply an average of 9,338.86 liters of milk per month to Mt. High Dairy Cooperative. The cooperative spearhead the production and marketing of fresh milk from the Dairy Farm.** Mark Hernandez, Research Division
