24 Farms certified for good practices

Some 24 farms in the Bicol region are now certified for “good agricultural practices” (GAP), the Bicol regional field office (RFO) of the Department of Agriculture (DA) said Monday, Jan. 27.

Rodel Tornilla, DA Bicol regional executive director together with his supervising agriculturist, Raymund Marcelino led the turnover of GAP certificates to the farm owners. The owners were represented by agricultural extension workers who played an important role in achieving said certification.

Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) are production standards that were developed to minimize risks of contaminating agricultural products due to harmful microbes.

According to Ailene Babilonia, an agriculturist & deputized national inspector, the farms underwent four modules of GAP which were: food safety, workers welfare, right quality of produce and caring about environment. The farms were carefully assessed and evaluated through voluntary audit procedures.

The GAP certified farms approved by the Bureau of Plant Industry were: Arsenas Farm; Mardith Farm; Necitas Farm; Cuatro’s Farm; Trining Farm; De Los Santos Farm; Calatrava’s Farm; Bertulfo’s Farm; Deloverges Agri Farm; Iriga City Oragon Farm; Susan’s Farm; Ave-Lino’s Farm, Riveral’s Farm. Farms with renewed certificates were: Culmor Farm; Vks Farm; andMauswag Agri Business Inc.

Mikeliz Integrated Farm; Pebre’s Farm; Pilar Municipal Nursery; and Cerillo’s Farm.

GAP certified farms since 2018 were: Sonriza Farm; Pebre’s Farm; NVAC (Naga View Adventist College); and Labo Progresive Multi-Purpose Cooperative. (B. Nunez. Photo credit: HA Privaldos)