Criteria for Selection of Proposed Stockyard
- Priority considerations include central location, transport facilities, existing use for holding animals, operator's interest, and minimum site area (300 sqm for small animals; 1,000 sqm for large animals).
- Minimum facility requirements: weighing scale, sheds, pens, tie rails, water and feeding troughs, office, perimeter fence, loading/unloading ramps.
- Personnel needed include stockyard manager, veterinarian/livestock inspector from LGU, grader, weigher, yardman/helper, and security guard (number based on workload).
- Stockyard charges vary by species and cover entrance fee, yardage fee, and corral fee which includes feed cost.
Start of Operation
- Stockyards must secure a Certificate of Accreditation from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) Director before commencing operations.
Recommended Operating Procedures
- Maintenance: ensures clean, sanitary, and orderly facilities; prohibits vendors inside stockyards.
- Bio-security measures: submission of approved livestock handler licenses and health certifications before acceptance; inspection of animals; disinfection of vehicles; footbaths; personnel hygiene; segregation of animals from disease-free and endemic areas; prohibition of feeding leftover foods.
- Disposal of dead or sick animals coordinated by authorized veterinarian; expense insurance included in entrance fee; LGUs responsible for infected animals and disease control.
- Entrance gate procedures: health inspection, tagging, weighing, yarding.
- Payment: stockyard fees must be correctly assessed and collected.
- Exit gate procedures: verification of receipts/documents before animal release.
- Roles and responsibilities clearly defined for stockyard personnel covering supervision, inspection, grading, animal movement, and security.
- Marketing: animals for sale must be graded and weighed; weighing slips issued; transaction with proper documentation.
Application for Accreditation
- Registration and accreditation handled by BAI through Marketing Development Division (MDD).
Requirements for Application
- Submission of appropriate business documents (depending on entity type), ID pictures, business and municipal permits, TIN, and Environmental Clearance Certificate.
Essential Requirements Before Approval
- Site inspection by BAI team to ensure standards.
- Mandatory attendance of seminar/lecture covering animal handling, transport, shipment control, and accreditation responsibilities; failure to attend may disqualify application.
Fees for Accreditation
- Inspection fee: P500.00
- Accreditation fee: P1,000.00
- Seminar fee: P200.00
- Total: P1,700.00
Issuance and Renewal of Accreditation
- Certificate issued upon compliance by BAI Director.
- Valid for one year.
- Renewal application to be filed at least one month before expiry.
Revocation of Accreditation
- Grounds include violations of the order or guidelines.
- Revoked as deemed necessary in government interest.
Monitoring
- Twice-weekly inspections by Veterinary Quarantine Officers at local levels.
- MDD maintains updated list of accredited stockyards for LGU verification.
- NFMDTF regularly inspects stockyards in NCR.
Cooperating Agencies
- Department of Agriculture (DA) reviews and approves program policies; BAI assists in planning, training, policy formulation, and disease control.
- DA Regional Units assist in evaluations and implementation.
- Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) ensures LGU cooperation.
- Provincial and local governments assist with implementation, sanitation, animal population promotion, disease control, and rule enforcement.
Closure of Stockyard
- Closure triggered by violation of provisions.
- Accreditation revocation precedes closure.
Penalties
- Violations punishable by fines ranging from P1,000 to P10,000.
- Imprisonment from two months to one year, or both fine and imprisonment.
- Penalties applied at the court’s discretion under Article 19 of R.A. 7394.
Effectivity
- The order takes effect 15 days after publication in the Official Gazette and filing with the UP Law Center.