The Legislative Yuan yesterday passed the third reading of regulations governing the Food and Agriculture Administration under the Council of Agriculture (COA).
Council Chairman Lee Chin-lung (李金龍), explaining the reason for establishing the Food and Agriculture Administration, said that in view of the dramatic changes in the agriculture environment in Taiwan and overseas, the council would combine the existing Food and Agriculture Department and the Central Taiwan Office of the COA.
Lee claimed that since Taiwan joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in January 2002, becoming its 144th member, it had delivered on the promises it made when it was bidding for WTO membership but said that Taiwan's food and agriculture industry had suffered badly as a result.
"This will be a crucial time for Taiwan to upgrade and transform the agriculture industry," Lee said.
He said that the food and agriculture industry is the core industry in Taiwan's agricultural development, upon which 720,000 farming households and millions of people in related industries depend for their livelihoods.
He said that the new administration will be in charge of policy, regulations, mapping out plans, execution and monitoring, improvement in production techniques, regional experimental research, demonstrations and promotions of food and agriculture, analysis and predictions for the food and agriculture industry, natural disaster relief, transaction systems for food and agricultural produce and market management.
COA Vice Chairman Lee Jen-chyuan (李健全) also said that the government would assess the feasibility of setting up an education and training center for Chinese fishermen on Kinmen.
He made the remarks yesterday during a visit to the island.
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