Surveillance ensures continued compliance with organic certification standards

Magsaysay, Davao del Sur — The Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards (DA-BAFS) conducted the first surveillance of the Magsaysay Organic Farmers Agriculture Cooperative (MOFARMCO) from April 28 to May 1, 2025 to assess its continued compliance as an accredited Organic Certifying Body (OCB) under the Participatory Guarantee System (PGS).

MOFARMCO, based in Magsaysay, Davao del Sur, is the first PGS group accredited in the Davao Region. The cooperative plays a key role in advancing community-based organic certification in the area.

The surveillance involved an office-based assessment and witnessing of peer review activities to evaluate whether MOFARMCO operates in a competent, impartial, and consistent manner as an OCB. The DA-BAFS Assessment Team was assisted by technical personnel from the DA Regional Field Office and the Agricultural Training Institute – Regional Training Center (ATI-RTC) Davao Region.

This surveillance underscores the role of continuous oversight in safeguarding the integrity of PGS certification. As the pioneer OCB in the region, MOFARMCO helps set standards for future PGS groups in Mindanao.

The results of the surveillance will guide the group in strengthening its systems and sustaining its accreditation as an OCB.