LET’S WAKE UP THE DORMANT CATTLE INDUSTRY!

LET’S WAKE UP THE DORMANT CATTLE INDUSTRY! I do not know what happened to us in the past, but it is very clear that our local cattle industry has practically died. Perhaps it is reckless to say that it has died — so I will stick with “practically dead.” Some might even prefer the milder, more politically correct phrase “seriously weakened.” But let’s not bury the lead: the sector that should be feeding millions of Filipinos is on life support. Before we rush to assign blame — was it the industry? The government? Maybe Congress for failing to pass supportive laws? Perhaps a Department of Agriculture (DA) that couldn’t implement them? Was it importers of beef, or even smugglers, working to stifle competition? — we need to face the facts: imports are surging while local production remains stubbornly flat. From January to November 2024 alone, the Philippines imported over 1.3 million metric tons of meat, with a substantial portion being beef — far outstripping what local farmers can supply. In fact, meat imports may have reached an all-time high of 1.45 million MT in 2024 — up about 20% from the year before. It should alarm us that we now depend on foreign suppliers to satisfy our hunger for beef. The USDA even projects beef imports to keep rising through 2025, while the local herd size and production remain stagnant. This trend doesn’t just affect prices; it whispers a more insidious message — we’ve surrendered food sovereignty on the hoof. But enough with the lamentations. The bigger question now isn’t who to blame, but what to do. Enter Arnel Corpuz — an ordinary Filipino who did extraordinary things without waiting for a government title. Thanks to former Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol for highlighting his work, we now have a vivid reminder that transformation can come from the ground up. A poor boy from Kiamba, Saranggani, Corpuz started as a janitor in a cattle feedlot in South Cotabato, later becoming manager of a 30,000-head Wagyu fattening facility in Australia. He didn’t just learn; he mastered cattle nutrition and management. Returning home, he championed what he calls “Simplified Cattle Farming” — feeding protocols based on locally available materials like sorghum, corn, napier, rice straw or sugarcane tops depending on the region. This is practical innovation, not ivory-tower theory. Today, he owns half of the cattle feedlot where he once cleaned floors, publishes the Philippine Cattle Feeding Handbook, and travels the country teaching farmers his methods. He’s promoting Wagyu and Wagyu-cross farming to improve our beef quality and revitalize local production. What’s even more exciting is how this industry is evolving: confined cattle raising and off-farm Wagyu raising models now allow OFWs, professionals, and small investors to participate — not just agrarian households. It’s not just cattle fattening — it’s community empowerment and value creation. Could this be the spark that finally revives a dormant industry? It can be, but not through one man alone. Here’s what must happen next: Orchestrated government support: The DA, Department of Science and Technology (DOST), University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) and Landbank should collaboratively create incentives, credit lines, and training programs for cattle farmers. Feed innovation & circular agriculture: Expand research into low-cost, locally sourced feed — a linchpin for profitability. Market linkages & value chains: Connect producers to processors, restaurants, and export markets, breaking the importer stranglehold. Training pipelines: Scale up programs like the “School of Hope” to produce skilled technicians, nutritionists, and farm managers. Arnel Corpuz is a modern Filipino hero — not because he grabbed a title, but because he rolled up his sleeves and returned knowledge to the community. If we build on his work with strategy, investment, and political will, we won’t just revive the cattle industry — we’ll own it. Let this be our call to action: wake up the dormant cattle industry — for food security, for farmers’ dignity, and for a nation that refuses to import what it can produce. BY RAMON IKE V. SENERES www.facebook.com/ike.seneres iseneres@yahoo.com senseneres.blogspot.com 09088877282/11-12-2026