Premium beef farming program rolls off in Danao

Local

WITH an eye on boosting farmers’ incomes and turning Cebu into a hub for premium beef, Danao City is taking the lead in the province’s Wagyu and Branded Beef Production Program.

Mayor Ramon “Nito” Durano III offered his city as the pilot area for the initiative during a farmers’ forum hosted at the Danao City Civic Center on July 17.

The forum was attended by farmers from across Cebu and neighboring provinces.

The program, spearheaded by the Food Security Team of Cebu Gov. Pamela Baricuatro, aims to promote Wagyu farming and beef quality upgrading as part of a broader five-year food security plan.

Former Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol, who now serves as Baricuatro’s food security adviser, said the Danao forum is one of several orientation workshops being conducted across the province to introduce high-value agricultural ventures to local farmers and agri-preneurs.

Following a presentation on the economic benefits of Wagyu farming, Mayor Durano pledged to allocate land for forage production, particularly sorghum, which will be used for silage and cattle feed.

The land, previously planted to sugarcane, is owned by the Durano family.

The mayor’s initiative has the full support of his children, Vice Mayor Ivy H. Durano and former mayor Mix Durano, underscoring the family's united backing for the city's agricultural transformation.

Danao, a Durano stronghold with over 10,700 hectares of land, is seen as a strategic starting point for the province’s push toward premium beef production.

The shift from traditional crops like sugarcane to high-value livestock is expected to open new income streams for local farmers and contribute to Cebu’s drive for food self-sufficiency.

The branded beef initiative in Danao City is part of a broader push by the Cebu Provincial Government to revitalize the local cattle industry and reduce dependence on imported beef.

At least four other local government units in northern Cebu, including Bogo City, Medellin, Daanbantayan, and San Remigio, have also been identified as potential pilot sites for cattle-raising programs.

These LGUs collectively have over 10,000 hectares of land that could be used to produce cattle feed and support commercial beef production.

The recent forum in Danao City forms part of a series of agricultural orientations spearheaded by the food security team of Baricuatro.

According to earlier announcements from the Capitol, these events are meant to introduce high-value agricultural opportunities to local farmers and entrepreneurs as part of the province’s long-term plan for food self-sufficiency.

Baricuatro’s food security strategy, known as “Pagkaon Alang sa Masa” or PAM, aims to transform Cebu into an agricultural hub by modernizing food production systems and improving the province’s capacity to produce rice, vegetables, livestock, and fish.(MyTVCebu)