On June 18, 2026, the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office VIII (DA RFO VIII), in partnership with Local Government Unit of San Isidro, officially launched the 2026 San Isidro Corn Model Farm Establishment cum Adaptive Balanced Fertilization Strategy (ABFS) Technology Derby, also known as ‘Corn Derby.’
The launch marked the start of a season-long initiative promoting science-based and innovative approaches to corn production among local farmers.
The project is expected to involve 351 farmers from 17 barangays in San Isidro through the establishment of a 450-hectare demonstration area where participants can observe and evaluate various corn production technologies under actual field conditions.
According to Regional Executive Director Rodel G. Macapañas, the Corn Derby seeks to address challenges faced by corn farmers, including rising production costs, unpredictable weather conditions, and fluctuating market prices, by introducing technologies that can improve productivity and resource efficiency.
“Based on the figures, San Isidro is the corn capital of the region. Through this project, we want to support our farmers in terms of technical assistance and their much-needed interventions for them to improve corn production in the next cropping seasons,” RED Macapañas emphasized in his message.
Central to the initiative is the Adaptive Balanced Fertilization Strategy (ABFS), a technology that aligns fertilizer application with crop nutrient requirements and local soil conditions. The strategy is designed to promote efficient use of farm inputs, improve soil health, and increase crop yields.
The demonstration farms will serve as learning sites where farmers can compare technologies, monitor crop performance, and assess results throughout the cropping season. Organizers said the hands-on approach will enable farmers to make informed decisions based on actual field observations.
The San Miguel Farmers Association (SAMIFA), one of the project’s partner clusters, will support the implementation of the project by helping promote agricultural technologies and knowledge to local farming communities in partnership with agricultural technicians, local government units, and other stakeholders.
SAMIFA Business Manager Welmer Pascioles welcomed the initiative, noting that it would help farmers learn and adopt modern practices in planting, fertilization, and soil management.
“𝘋𝘢𝘬𝘰 𝘬𝘢𝘺𝘰 𝘢𝘬𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘵 𝘯𝘨𝘢 𝘯𝘢𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘊𝘰𝘳𝘯 𝘋𝘦𝘳𝘣𝘺 𝘬𝘢𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘶𝘥 𝘴𝘢 𝘢𝘮𝘰 𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘢𝘰𝘯 𝘱𝘢𝘨-𝘢𝘥𝘢𝘱𝘵 𝘴𝘢 𝘮𝘨𝘢 𝘣𝘢𝘨-𝘰 𝘯𝘨𝘢 𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺 𝘴𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘨𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘮, 𝘴𝘢 𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘻𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘶𝘨 𝘱𝘢𝘨-𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘶𝘵𝘢. 𝘗𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘢𝘨𝘪 𝘢𝘯𝘪, 𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘨𝘢 𝘧𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘯𝘨𝘢 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘢 𝘱𝘢 𝘬𝘢𝘣𝘢𝘭𝘰 𝘴𝘢 𝘮𝘨𝘢 𝘣𝘢𝘨-𝘰 𝘯𝘨𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘢𝘨𝘪 𝘴𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘨𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘮 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘢𝘬𝘢𝘵-𝘰𝘯 𝘯 𝘢𝘱𝘶𝘥,” expressed Pascioles.
[I am very grateful that the Corn Derby exists because it also helps us learn how to adapt to new technologies in planting, fertilization, and cultivating the soil. Through this, farmers who are not yet familiar with new planting methods can learn.]
Aside from improving farm productivity, the project also aims to strengthen market opportunities for corn growers. During the launching ceremony, DA RFO8, SAMIFA, the Local Government Unit of San Isidro, and an institutional buyer signed a marketing agreement to help ensure a ready market for farmers’ harvests.
“𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘪 𝘯𝘨𝘢 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘨𝘪𝘬𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘢 𝘋𝘈, 𝘥𝘢𝘬𝘰 𝘬𝘢𝘺𝘰 𝘯𝘪𝘨 𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘢 𝘢𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘳𝘪, 𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘪 𝘯𝘢 𝘴𝘢 𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘨𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘯 𝘧𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘯𝘨𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘰𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘵𝘢𝘮 𝘴𝘢 𝘮𝘨𝘢 𝘵𝘦𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘩𝘪𝘺𝘢 𝘯𝘨𝘢 𝘪𝘱𝘢𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘣𝘪𝘵 𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘢𝘨𝘪 𝘴𝘢 𝘊𝘰𝘳𝘯 𝘋𝘦𝘳𝘣𝘺. 𝘛𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘰𝘥 𝘴𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘴𝘰𝘥, 𝘮𝘢𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘱𝘢𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘰𝘯 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘢𝘨-𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘨 𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘴,” expressed Municipal Agriculturist Jerome C. Llano.
[This project from the DA is a great help to us here, especially to our corn farmers who will benefit more from the technologies that will be shared through the Corn Derby. Our town is known for corn, so let’s continue to produce corn.]
The 2026 Corn Derby also involves five seed companies and 17 fertilizer companies that will provide technical expertise and support services. Stakeholders expressed optimism that the collaboration among government agencies, farmers’ organizations, local government units, and private sector partners will contribute to the development of a more competitive and resilient corn industry in San Isidro.