DA eyes pact with USDA to improve dairy farm in Baguio City
A government-run dairy farm in Baguio City is expected to be a more reliable source of milk in the country as the Department of Agriculture (DA) is aiming to enter an agreement with its USA counterpart for the farm's improvement.

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Counselor Morgan Haas and officials of the National Dairy Authority (NDA) recently visited the facility to inspect the Dairy Development Project at the Baguio Dairy Farm managed by the DA-Cordillera Administrative Region (DA-CAR).
According to NDA Administrator Marilyn Mabale, the purpose of the site visit is to observe the farm facility and showcase the dairy farm operation to USDA.
She said that they are looking at possible projects in partnership with USDA in order to upgrade the dairy industry in the region.
The dairy farm is aimed at being the milk capital in Cordillera. It also seeks to help in addressing the challenges caused by the country’s dependency on imported milk, low productivity, and high production cost including weak market linkage.
Aside from promoting affordable access to safe and nutritious food and trying to provide healthier diet for the young age, Haas said they also want to provide farmers and average Filipinos an alternative option in farming, instead of just growing vegetables.
“We are also looking on possible technologies that science can offer to hasten and improve productivity and deal with other challenges in dairy production,” Haas added.
DA-CAR Regional Executive Director Cameron Odsey explained that the primary goal of the Dairy Farm Project is to make milk available to the highland communities.
“We also want more farmers to engage in dairy production that’s why we continue to develop and share technologies to produce high value animals with proper feeds,” Odsey said.
The Baguio Dairy Farm houses 48 heads of breeder stock and 55 heads of purebred calves.
From January to July 2021, the farm was able to supply an average of 9,338.86 liters of milk per month to Mt. High Dairy Cooperative.