February 6, 2015
Visayan Daily Star, by Carla Gomez
Agriculture Undersecretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services Michael Scuse of the United States is visiting Negros Occidental in March to touch base with sugar and cattle industry players.
This was disclosed yesterday by USDA Agricultural Counselor Ralph Bean, who accompanied by sugar industry leaders led by Sugar Regulatory Administrator Ma. Regina Martin, met with Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Maranon Jr. to inform him of the visit.
Scuse is visiting Negros Occidental in mid-March to talk to sugar industry players and learn a little more about the cattle and agriculture industry of the province, Bean said.
Bean pointed out that Philippines sugar leaders who met with Scuse during their visit to the US had invited him to the province.
Martin said Scuse, during their US visit, brought them to sugar areas in Louisiana to show them US farm mechanization and research to improve cane varieties.
Scuse, who will lead an agricultural trade mission to the country, aims to learn more about Philippine agriculture and ways the US can work together with Filipino farmers, Bean said.
Meanwhile, Bean assured that the Philippines will continue to get its market share of the US sugar allocation.
Martin said that, at the moment, the US prices for sugar are better than in the world market.
“We are hoping that we will have additional share of the quota this year, which usually is decided sometime in April if there are shortfalls in imports to the US from countries like Mexico,” she said.
“This is a very exciting year for exports to the US because the prices are better,” she said
Bean also said the US Department of Agriculture has funded the visit to Negros Occidental of Dr. Andy Herring, who will be sharing his expertise at the Federation of Cattle Raisers Associations of the Philippines National Congress at the Bacolod Pavilion Hotel and Resort that starts today.
Herring will talk about tropical cross breeds of cattle, Bean said.