The Rosario Livestock and Agriculture Farming Cooperative (TRLAFCO), one of the assisted co-ops of the DA-Philippine Carabao Center at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (DA-PCC at UPLB), was honored with the Outstanding Livestock Cooperative award for its prowess and exceptional contributions to the local agriculture industry at the Livestock and Aquaculture Philippines Expo 2024 Recognition and Networking Night on May 22, 2024, held at the World Trade Center, Pasay City.
“It is truly a relentless effort to continue to grow and evolve, ensuring food security and fostering economic resilience. Your commitment to excellence and sustainability remains unmatched. We honor those who dedicated their lives to advancing the livestock industry,” remarked Department of Agriculture (DA) Undersecretary for Livestock, Deogracias Victor Savellano, in his message.
USec. Savellano also emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts in ensuring the continued growth and development of the livestock industry. He encouraged stakeholders to work together to overcome challenges and seize opportunities for sustainable development.
He then congratulated the awardees for exemplifying vision, hard work and dedication to overcome challenges and reach new heights. These contributions, he noted, are not only beneficial to their enterprises but also to the broader livestock sector and the nation as a whole.
Nominees for the esteemed Outstanding Livestock Cooperative award are evaluated based on specific criteria, including having a substantial number of membership in 2024, a minimum operational tenure of five years, and impactful contributions to livestock production.
Joseph Caguimbal, vice chairperson of the Board of Directors of TRLAFCO, emphasized the vast opportunities in dairy and carabao farming, especially with support from local government units and government agencies.
“We must seize and utilize these opportunities to expand our knowledge and skills to boost our income as farmers,” he added.
Moreover, he expressed his gratitude for the collaborative efforts of various stakeholders including the DA-PCC family, Rosario Municipal Agriculturist Jane Libuit, other partners from the local and national government, and the TRLAFCO farmer-members and employees.
TRLAFCO, previously known as the Rosario Dairy Association (RODRA), transformed into a cooperative on September 13, 2019, building on a foundation laid in June 2012. With a membership surge from 29 to 122, including 86 active dairy producers, TRLAFCO has been demonstrating substantial industry impact for 12 years. The co-op’s notable achievements include producing 159,314.3 liters of milk and generating PHP27.3 million in sales in 2023 alone. The cooperative continues its success in 2024, producing 70,341.03 liters of milk and achieving PHP15.1 million in dairy product sales in the first four months.
TRLAFCO’s contributions have also been recognized with other prestigious awards, including the 2023 Magiting Co-op Achiever from the Provincial Cooperative, Livelihood and Entrepreneurial Development Office (PCLEDO) Batangas, along with consecutive Outstanding Dairy Cooperative awards from the DA-Philippine Carabao Center (DA-PCC) Annual National Carabao Conference in 2022 and 2023.
Furthermore, TRLAFCO has been actively serving as a milk supplier for the milk feeding program in collaboration with government agencies such as the DA-PCC, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and the Department of Education (DepEd) under the Republic Act 11037, the Masustansyang Pagkain Para sa Batang Pilipino Act of 2018. From 2019 to 2023, the co-op served 69,911 beneficiaries through this program.
TRLAFCO continues to be a model of diligence and dedication, which plays a vital role in contributing to the agricultural industry and livestock and dairy sectors in the Philippines.
