RP dairy program gets $3.9-M funding

The United States will extend a $3.957 million (P190 million) assistance to the Philippines to fund the Department of Agriculture’s Dairy Development Program until 2009.

The US is extending the grant through its US Department of Agriculture Food for Progress Program.

To do this, the US will donate 11,910 metric tons of soybean meal and 6,000 MT of feed peas to the Philippines. The soybean meal and feed peas would be monetized and the proceeds would then be used to fund the Dairy Development Program.

Agriculture Secretary Arthur C. Yap, together with US Ambassador Kristie Kenney and representatives from the Land O’ Lakes (LOL) Foundation Inc. recently visited dairy projects in Pili, Camarines Sur which are being implemented through the Food for Progress Program.

Under the program, LOL will collaborate with the DA’s National Dairy Authority to support the expansion of the local dairy industry.

The program management team, with technical support from local and foreign consultants, will transfer vital dairy expertise to selected farmers in four geographic areas in the country including Camarines Sur and Lanao del Norte.

The Food for Progress Program aims to benefit 500 dairy farmers in 22 primary dairy clusters with 10 percent increased income from the improved dairy herd and cooperative management, distribute around 700 heads of imported dairy animals, and improve milk quality and productivity of live dairy animals.

The program is also set to install laboratory equipment in 20 milk collection centers.

"The team-up will significantly alter the landscape of the milk industry here in our country," Yap said.