Pending with the Committee on Agriculture and Food, the Animal Feeds Act of 2016, authored by Deputy Speaker Sharon Garin, seeks to amend the Livestock and Poultry Feeds Act enacted way back in 1956.
“The need for a new and better law that is in tune with the demands of the present time is called for as there are a lot of changes brought about by the continued growth of the industry,” Garin, who’s representing AAMBIS-Owa, said in a statement .
House Bill 3355 seeks to organize, update, and strengthen the livestock and poultry feeds industry in the Philippines.
Some of the amendments proposed are to update many of the outdated definition of terms, policies, and penalties found in the original law passed six decades ago.
The proposed amendments also included a better licensing and registration to ensure the quality of all feeds whether for commercial or non-commercial use will be established.
“We must acknowledge that the success of the swine and poultry industries of the Philippines is also dependent on the Feeds Industry of the country,” Garin added.
Animal feed is one of the most critical inputs to the swine and poultry industries in the Philippines as it represents roughly 60 percent of the total cost to produce pork, poultry meat and eggs, the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development cited recently
“Our country’s livestock programs should go hand in hand with an organized and regulated feeds industry, of course with the fervent support from the government,” Garin explained.
A proposed Animal Feed Control Advisory Committee will also be established to work hand in hand with the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Animal Industry, in order to efficiently oversee these changes in the processes. Alongside the updated administrative fees and charges, and higher fees for penalties, a revolving fund called Philippine Livestock Promotion Fund will be setup, and will serve as repository for all fees and charges collected.
“If passed, this bill aims to strengthen the livestock industry in the country, and help small and poor farm workers benefit further from the industry,” Garin added.