As a predominantly agricultural country, the Philippines have to provide an enabling environment to modernize its agriculture sector that will increase productivity amidst the growing needs of the global market for safe and quality products. The ultimate goal is to uplift the living conditions of the farmers and fisher folks. The Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries (BAFS) of the Department of Agriculture actively contributes towards the attainment of this goal through the fulfillment of its mandated functions in standard development and promotion and its initiatives towards the adoption of standards into technical regulations that will ensure quality and safety of Philippine agriculture and fishery products.
The Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards (BAFS) dates back its history on the enactment of Republic Act No. 8435 otherwise known as the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (AFMA) of 1997. Under this law, the State recognized the roles and benefits of product standardization and consumer safety for the modernization of Philippine agriculture sector. With a mission to develop standards that are science-based, globally harmonized, and consistent with international commitments, the Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Product Standards (BAFPS) was formally established on December 4, 1998 through Administrative Order No. 7 Series of 1998.