The province of Negros Occidental is at the forefront in the organic movement compared to other provinces and regions in the Philippines, Department of Agriculture Assistant Secretary for Fisheries Salvador Salacup, said yesterday.

Salacup, who is also the executive director of the Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Product Standards, was in Bacolod City yesterday for the Visayas-Wide Awareness Conference on Organic Agriculture Act of 2010 for Local Chief Executives at the Bacolod Pavillon.

“We look up to the organic practitioners of Negros and we would like to feature their success stories to other provinces and regions, which I hope they will replicate,” Salacup said.

He said that there are snapshots of success stories from other regions but it is not as large as that of Negros Occidental.

He also said it is wise to hold the awareness conference here because there will be farm visits, adding that other the national government is aware on organic farms in Negros that they can utilize for demonstration and replication of purposes.

Salacup said that the organic agriculture program is still premature but the conference meets with governors, mayors, and agriculturists from provinces, cities, and municipalities because they will implement the program. This is the second conference, after Luzon, that was held last March, he said.

He added that they are also disseminating information on the access to technology and funds for the organic program at the national and local levels.

The DA is also aligning with the international standards as there is a big demand for organically produced agricultural products and premium price, he added.

Gov. Marañon, meanwhile, also shared the Negros experience during the affair saying that that in terms of organic agriculture, Negros is way ahead among other provinces.

Marañon cited the Memorandum of Agreement signed between the late Negros Occidental governor, Joseph Marañon and former Negros Oriental governor George Arnaiz in 2005 declaring Negros Island an “Organic Island”.

He also said the province passed an ordinance banning all genetically-modified organisms as part of its vision to become the organic food bowl in Asia.* LTG

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