Ordinance to grant tax incentives for organic farming

A PROPOSED ordinance granting five to 10 percent discount in real property taxes for farmers practicing organic farming in Cebu will be deliberated today in the Provincial Board (PB).

PB member Arleigh Sitoy said his ordinance granting incentives to organic farms is now up for second reading in today’s PB session.

Once approved, the measure will be elevated to third and final reading prior to approval.

The draft ordinance will allow accredited farmers, using “organic” methods to avail of discounts in real property taxes collected by the Capitol.

The farmers will be accredited by the Department of Agriculture regional office 7 which created a special committee that will evaluate and determine if the farms use only organic fertilizers.

“Not all farmers can avail, only those that use organic (fertilizers),” Sitoy said in a phone interview yesterday.

Sitoy said the land being used should also be classified as agricultural lands.

Sitoy said it would encourage farmers to continue practicing organic farming and produce natural food free of genetically modified organisms (GMO).

“This is also environment-friendly,” he said.

The proposed ordinance is in support of a national law which allows local government units (LGUs) to grant tax and other incentives to farmers using organic farming methods. Reporter Dale G. Israel