TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Rep. Allen Jesse C. Mngaoang is proposing the establishment of a Cattle Fattening Station and Agro-feeds Experimental Farm in each of the municipalities of Rizal, Pinukpuk and this component city to boost the livestock industry growth in the province.
Mangaoang filed House Bill (HB) No. 4076 which mandates the national government to put up the Cattle Fattening Station and Agro-feeds Experimental Farm in the three areas of Kalinga to spur the growth of the livestock and agriculture sector province-wide.
Under the proposed bill, the Kalinga provincial government, in coordination with the Department of Agriculture, shall take steps as may be necessary to put into operation the said stations and farms for the purpose of demonstrating and appropriate application of the technology of cattle fattening among inhabitants of the communities who may desire to engage in the lucrative industry based on the pilot demonstration farms to be established under the law.
He added the Cattle Fattening Stations and Agro-feed Experimental Farms shall be created to serve as models for replication by private entrepreneurs in the municipalities or city where the said facilities are located and that the said stations and farms shall develop, formulate, propagate such varieties of agricultural products as may be suitable for use as feeds for cattle fattening purposes to the fattening stations, to cooperatives and farmers engage in the said business.
The bill mandated the DA to take such steps to assist the noble project to ensure that high quality of meat shall be produced to meet consumer demand for the desired taste and texture of the meat products.
Mangaoang proposed the amount necessary for the initial implementation of the law shall be charged to the appropriations of the DA under the current budget and thereafter, such sum as may be necessary for its continued operation shall be included in the annual budget.
Further, he claimed the Kalinga provincial government shall provide supplementary budget and technical support to these facilities.
Mangaoang explained the lowland portion of Kalinga which is composed of the municipalities of Rizal and Pinukpuk and Tabuk city has adequate tracks of grazing lands or feed lots which are suitable for small-scale cattle farmers, thus, the establishment of Cattle Fattening Stations and Agro-feed Experimental Stations will assure sustainable and viable operations that will maximize the income of rural farmers.
According to him, the facilities are intended to operate as service stations to provide the necessary facilities for small-scale raisers, who do not have the facilities and technology for improving the value of their cattle prior to marketing.
He claimed in other provinces, the technology of cattle fattening is well-established but the province of Kalinga has yet to move forward in this aspect of the cattle business, particularly beyond mere breeding into fattening, unless the said facilities are provided by no less than the government so that the province’s cattle industry will improve for the benefit of rural farmers.
Mangaoang emphasized the facilities are also important to national food production and economic recovery once the bill will be enacted into law. By HENT
