Organic Certification Center of the Philippines (OCCP) certified three private organic operators from three different municipalities of Oriental Mindoro.
The organic producers that were certified by the OCCP are the Gabutero Organic Farm owned by Nelson Gabutero from Bongabong that produces organic palay seeds and milled rice; DJMV Farm owned by Dewey Albufera from Naujan that produces organic rice and vegetables; and Regional Integrated Agricultural Research Center of Victoria that has organic pig, rice seeds and lanzones fruits and seeds.
The certification serves as validation for a private operator that it conforms to the farming conditions mandated by the Republic Act 10068 or Organic Agriculture Act of 2010.
For the applicants to be certified as organic operators, OCCP evaluated and inspected their farm lands and validated their requirements in accordance to the Philippine National Standard in organic agriculture developed by the Department of Agriculture (DA).
With the certification, these groups are now able to participate in international trades and market their fresh produce to different malls with the OCCP certified seal.
OCCP is a non-stock and independent certifying body that ensures the relevance of organic standards and the integrity of certification process for the protection and guarantee of consumers and producers. It was the first certifying body accredited by DA.
During the awarding Michael Iledan, Senior Agriculturist and Regional Alternate Organic Agriculture Program Focal Person, announced that the aforementioned operators were the first to avail the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) subsidy for third-party certification. The subsidy is a program of the Department to further encourage farmers, livestock and husbandry operators to practice organic agriculture.
The awarding was held last week during the 4th MIMAROPA Organic Congress at Romblon State University.
