‘Angas‘ cattle is big business in Batangas.

Farming is a big business that gives rise to more businesses. But while farming and agriculture have received a great deal of political attention and a large number of political programs have been enacted to aid farmers, sadly, their plight remain unchanged.

To champion the agri-business and farming sectors, a group of young farmers have formed the D.V. Boer Farm International to show the real score in the agriculture sector and to teach the public that agricultural investing is really a serious business that pays off.

“We want to show the actual effect of agriculture in our lives as Filipinos,” said D.V. Boer president Dexter Villamin in an interview with the Daily Tribune. “We will show them success stories brought by agriculture farming. We encourage our overseas Filipino workers (OFW) to come home and become successful agri-farmers.”

According to Villamin, farming could be a game changer in the Philippine economy and added success and sustainability in the sector could be achieved through diligent farming and correct business planning.

To promote his business model, Villamin is launching the Magsasaka TV program to be aired weekly in a popular television network to promote the group’s advocacy to provide affordable food and sustainable livelihood for the Filipinos while “establishing their identity as a member of the community.”

To kickstart an OFW or a potential investor in the agri-business, D.V. Boer is also extending a loan facility to farmers up to P8 million without collateral or interest under its DV Boer Farm and Magsasaka Inc. and the D.V. Boer Microfinance. In addition, the group will assist the farmer to manage their agri-business and even buy the produce of the farmers to ensure the sustainability of their operations.

This is guarantee that farmers attain self-sufficiency, one of the core visions of the group for the Filipino farmers. The ultimate goal is to also teach farming communities the volume of agriculture products they need to produce to meet the local demand and discourage the government from allowing the private sector to import agricultural products.

“Our goal is to achieve adequate food production so we will not be importing anymore,” Villamin added.

D.V. Boer has up to P750 million in assets available for loan, he added. However, the group is also in close collaboration with banks and other financial institutions to provide farmers with “financial footprints” that will allow them to avail of the services offered by these lending firms.

One of the biggest challenges among farmers is the lack of documentation that prevents them access to financial services, particularly loans from reputable lending firms, forcing them to rely on loan shark that charges them more than 20 percent interest rates.

This lack of documentation also prevents banks and financial institutions to allocate up to five percent of their assets to agricultural loans.

But Villamin said they are ready to fill this gap by assisting farmers with a business plan so they can access financial services. D.V. Boer will also act as guarantors to farmers to raise their credibility status when applying for bank loans.

“This is where Magsasaka Inc. will offer its services to farmers because we will act as their co-makers to their loans. We will guarantee the farmers because we will be managing their business as well. We are willing to risk our credibility to these farmers so if things turn south, Magsasaka will take over,” Villamin added.

Launching the Philippines brand of high-quality meat, Magsasaka Inc., also launched its Angas Beef in a bid to market Batangas beef or “bakang Batangas” to a wider and more upscale market.

Grown in its 11-hectare land in Lian, Batangas, Angas Beef is raised with improved animal husbandry practices. Villamin said they have managed to bring the mid-sized local cattle up to a weight exceeding 450 kilograms per head by the time it reaches two years old.

In a statement, the NGO said that 5-star hotel chefs have likened the overall quality of Angas Beef to the much more expensive imported beef. Magsasaka Inc. added that it has the “right amount of fat and lean meat acceptable to every diner, including health-conscious consumers and discriminating beef connoisseurs.”