Responsible hog farming pushed

RESPONSIBLE hog farming and Mindanao's contribution to the country's pork industry are the highlights in this year's National Hog Convention and Trade Exhibit.

Hosted by Cagayan de Oro City, the threeday convention began on Thursday, April 12, with the theme ‘Responsible Hog Farming towards Safe and Self-Sufficient Pork Production.’ Now on its 27th year, the convention aims to emphasize the importance of keeping responsible pork production and keeping food safety a priority in all swine operations in the country.

"We are all consumers so we understand how our consumers feel about food safety and security. That's why efficient and responsible operations to ensure safety and food security form part of the critical components of our businesses," Eliseo Yu, chairman of the Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines Inc. (PPFP), said.

The hog convention is jointly organized by the PPFP and the National Federation of Hog Farmers Inc. (NFHFI) and also showcased several hog producers, both old and new, as well as featured innovative equipment and hog-related services; seminars on hog management and production disease prevention, among others.

"We focused on how industry players can work together to stay the course, stay on top while balancing the needs and the welfare of the public," Benjamin Albarece, the president of Northern Mindanao Hog Raisers Association Inc., said. SS-CDO