Animal Nutrition Summit puts the spotlight on young animal nutrition, digital technologies as key to farmer prosperity
Sonny Catacutan (center), Country President of Cargill Philippines and Managing Director of the animal nutrition business, leads the roundtable discussion at the Animal Nutrition Summit held on April 26 at Solaire Resort & Casino. Promoting collaborative effort and partnership in addressing industry challenges, Cargill is joined by different stakeholder group representatives: (from left to right) Dr. Ruth Miclat-Sonaco, Director of National Livestock Program of the Department of Agriculture; Nonon Tambago, President of the Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines, Inc. (ProPork); Alfred Ng, Vice President of the National Federation of Hog Farmers, Inc (NatFed).; and Chris Ilagan, Government Relations Director at Cargill Philippines, who facilitated the discussion.
Manila, Philippines (April 26, 2023) — Connecting farmers, producers, customers and consumers in support of the future of the swine industry, Cargill Philippines, along with the National Federation of Hog Farmers, Inc (NatFed) and Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines (ProPork) today hosted the Animal Nutrition Summit at Solaire Resort and Casino.
The summit, themed "Feeding the Future," included a range of presentations and panel discussions on subjects such as animal nutrition, disease management, and digital technologies. Given the ongoing outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) that has severely affected the local hog industry, Cargill recommends to Filipino producers a holistic approach to mitigating the impact of the virus and forging a long-term plan for the future of the local swine industry.
“At the heart of Cargill’s efforts is the goal to help farmers thrive amidst challenges like ASF. We empower Filipino farmers with tailored solutions and knowledge to raise pigs because healthy animals perform better,” said Sonny Catacutan, Country President of Cargill Philippines and Managing Director for Cargill’s animal nutrition business. “It is our belief that the nutrition provided to animals during the early stages of their life significantly impacts their health, growth, and viability. As a growth partner, we are committed to enabling farmers and providing them with the tools to get the foundation right to improve animal well-being and farm productivity.”
The event also features industry experts and stakeholders from all over the world to discuss the most recent swine technologies as well as global best management practices for improving farm profitability in the transition to the new normal.
“The Animal Nutrition Summit and Hog Conference are events that are essential to the growth and development of the industry. We are happy that companies such as Cargill, as well as industry organizations are making such efforts to help our local hog business owners and farmers improve operations and profitability with new knowledge, insights and technologies that are essential as we move forward with recovery,” shared Chester Tan, NatFed President, and Nonon Tambago, ProPork President.
Partners in Feeding the Future, Cargill Philippines is joined by farmer group leaders and other industry partners at the Animal Nutrition Summit.
Among the solutions highlighted at the summit is Neopigg, a Cargill global brand for young animal nutrition, which incorporates Cargill technologies that ensure 80% Class AB piglets at 70 days, resulting in increased profitability. Neopigg nutrition solutions are designed to help piglets start strong, power through weaning, and transition smoothly into the grower-finisher phase.
Cargill, along with its industry partners, remains committed to fostering a sustainable future for Filipino hog farmers. The guiding principle of providing the right feed for the right animal at the right time is at the core of their efforts.
“As Cargill gears up to mark its 75th year of operations in the Philippines, we recognize our unique role in connecting and bringing stakeholders together to support the local swine industry. We are committed to accelerating efforts to create more value for farmers and build a more sustainable future,” Catacutan concluded.
The Animal Nutrition Summit serves as a precursor to the 29th National Hog Convention and Trade Exhibit (HogCon), one of the country's largest trade shows, which will be held on April 27-29 at the SMX Convention Center.
Dr. Ji-Hoon Kim, Global Swine Technology Director at Cargill, talks about new young animal nutrition technologies and global best practices.
Mark Hanzel (far right), Agricultural Attaché at the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA-FAS), answers a question about the Philippine swine market outlook.
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