Agri group urges House to sign bill revitalizing livestock industry

Agricultural group Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (Sinag) expressed hope that the signing of a bill to revitalize the livestock, poultry and dairy industry would help bolster local production.

“Iyon ang hingin natin sa mga congressman na mapabilis yung batas na iyon para at least lumaki yung local production (We’re asking congressmen to accelerate the passage of the law so it can significantly increase local production),” Sinag chair Rosendo So said in an interview on Thursday.

“Ang tingin natin is makakatulong kung lumaki yung local production dahil mas malawak yung distribution ng pagkain (Our view is that it would help if local production increases because this would lead to a wider food distribution),” he told reporters.

Last August, the Senate approved on third and final reading Senate Bill No. 2558, known as the Act Strengthening Livestock, Poultry, and Dairy Industry Development and Competitiveness, Rationalizing the Organization and Functions of Relevant Government Agencies, and Creating a Competitiveness Enhancement Fund.

READ: Senate panel approves proposed 2025 Dept. of Agriculture budget

A similar bill was filed in the House of Representatives but has been pending with the House Committee on Agriculture and Food since 2022.

The proposed measure filed in the Senate calls for the creation of a roadmap to spur the development of the livestock, poultry and dairy industry.

It will set the strategic direction and key initiatives of concerned agencies including breeder availability and genetic improvement program, pasture crops and animal feeds program, native animal program, and animal health welfare and protection program.

The same roadmap will also streamline the organization and functions of relevant government agencies to ensure efficient service delivery and effective implementation of the industry’s policies.

The bill seeks the creation of a Livestock, Poultry and Dairy Competitiveness Enhancement Fund, whose model is similar to the multibillion rice fund or the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund.

The fund will be given an annual budget appropriation not exceeding P7.8 billion sourced from all tariff collections levied on imported livestock, poultry and dairy products.

Livestock production dropped by 6.7 percent to P61.67 billion in the third quarter of this year, based on a report from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

Hog, goat and carabao registered decreases while dairy and cattle recorded increases during the quarter.

On the other hand, poultry output rose by 5.8 percent to P68.66 billion with chicken and chicken eggs climbing.