MANILA, Philippines -- Make sure to buy a copy of the July issue of Agriculture Magazine published by the Manila Bulletin and edited by yours truly.

You will read how far ahead of its neighbor countries Thailand has developed its dairy industry by raising its own tropical Holsteins. This is a breed developed during the last 30 years which is adapted to the hot and humid weather of Thailand. It is a result of crossbreeding the Holstein Friesian from the United States and the native Thai cattle.

Thailand has about 500,000 milking cows, those in the milk line producing some 2,500 tons of fresh milk every day. That makes it 90 percent self-sufficient in fresh milk. The Philippines, on the other hand, has only about 17,000 milk cows producing just 2 percent of the fresh milk requirement of the country.

Featured in the July issue are the biggest and the smallest dairy cooperatives in Thailand, both of which are very successful. The biggest dairy co-op is the Nongpho Dairy Cooperative which has a membership of 5,000 mostly small farmers taking care of as few as 8 cows to 20 cows or more. The 5,000 members take care of about 40,000 to 50,000 milk animals. The cooperative is very profitable, it had a net profit of 100 million baht (P140 million) last year.

The Zonta Chombung Dairy Cooperative, on the other hand, is about the smallest dairy co-op in Thailand with just 25 members, but it is also very successful. The small co-op has its own milk processing plant that processes 2,500 to 5,000 liters of milk a day. The 25 farmers who are land reform beneficiaries produce milk worth one million baht a month.

You will also read many inspiring stories such as the one written by Pete Samonte on how the small town of Llanera, Nueva Ecija has developed its own technology hub -- Llanera Agricultural Training Center put up through the initiative of its lady mayor – Lorna Mae Balunes Vero.

Also interesting is the story of Dr. Amado Silva and his nephew, Nico Faller of Mataas na Kahoy in Batangas. They have put up a showcase of high-value vegetables in a lot that used to be the site of a swine and poultry project. It was recently visited by many farmers and government employees during a field day where technicians of East-West Seed Company talked on the improved vegetable varieties and technologies.

A new column on natural farming makes its debut in the July issue. This is by Sandy and Doc Rey Itchon. For their first topic, they write how they make FPJ or Fermented Plant Juice which they mix at all times with the drinking water for their free-range chickens and for fertilizing their plants.