Hog farmers are upbeat again as the supply of corn has become stable, thanks to the government’s campaign for the production of the cereal, especially in many areas in Luzon. Now the Luzon hog raisers don’t have to import corn from Mindanao which necessarily costs a lot to transport.
Under these encouraging developments, the members of the National Federation of Hog Farmers, Inc. (NFHFI) will hold their 14th annual national convention and trade exhibits on April 7 to 9 at the Tagaytay International Convention Center in Tagaytay City with the Cavite Livestock and Poultry Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative acting as host. The co-op is headed by Belen B. Chavez.
Adopted as theme of the convention is "Paghahayupan, Gulong ng Masiglang Agrikultura at Matatag na Pamayanan," according to NFHFI National Chairman Nemesio G. Co.
The theme has been chosen to highlight the important role of the hog industry in Philippine agriculture which is currently valued at
R92 billion, according to Lawrence C. Yu, chairman of the convention.
The convention will bring together commercial as well as backyard hog raisers all over the Philippines. The attendees can attend a series of seminars on modern swine production methods, including effective ways of eradicating the most common diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease.
Another feature of the convention will be the trade exhibits that will showcase the latest in service and product display from local and international manufacturers of automatic equipment, veterinary products, pharmaceuticals and feeds. The trade exhibits as well as the seminars will be open to the public for free.
Established in 1990, the NFHFI is the umbrella organization of 32 hog farmers associations across the country. For more information on the annual convention, call (02) 726-3644 or 744-3500.
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AGRI-KAPIHAN TOMORROW. The monthly Agri-Kapihan will be held tomorrow, March 20, from 8 to 11 a.m., at the parking lot of radio station DWWW, No. 23 E. Rodriguez Sr. Avenue, Quezon City. This forum is open free to the public. It is a project of the radio program "Kaunlaran sa Agrikultura" aired every Sunday from 4:30 to 7 o’clock in the morning, hosted by Anne Bernardino, Tony S. Rola and Zac B. Sarian.
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FULBRIGHT AGRI SCHOLARSHIP. Some
R109.3 million is allocated for the 5th year (2006-2007) of implementation of the Fulbright-Philippine Agriculture Scholarship Program (FPASP) which will enable many agriculture and fisheries graduates to undertake further studies in the United States.
The FPASP was established to improve the state of competitiveness and productivity of the Philippine agriculture and fisheries sector by exposing Filipinos to the latest trends in the US. The scholarship grants are given to Filipinos from the agriculture and fisheries fields to pursue graduate degree and non-degree study, research, and consultations in the US. It also provides fellowships to senior American academicians, researchers and professionals in agriculture to teach, conduct research and train Filipinos in the Philippines.
The funds for this program are sourced from the US Public Law 480 Food for Peace Program made available by the US government to the Department of Agricultrue.
The program is administered by the Philippine-American Educational Foundation (PAEF), a bi-national foundation composed of representatives of the US and Philippine governments and private sector representatives, and the Agricultural Training Institute.
From school year 2001-2002 to school year 2004-2005, the FPASP has financed the advanced education of some 115 agriculture employees and professionals in the US, 27 for doctoral degrees, 64 for masteral degrees, and 24 for research grants.
For more information on the program, the public can visit PAEF’s website at www.paef.org.ph or call 8120919.
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TERESA ORCHARD & NURSERY in Teresa, Rizal, is open to visitors on Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. The place specializes in exotic fruit trees such as imported mango varieties, Rongrein rambutan, latexless jackfruit, longkong, sweet sampalok, Guimaras mango and others. Call 0917-997-6194 for more info.
