The COA christened 2008 as the Year of Safe Agriculture for a nation-wide campaign to adhere the traceability system of agri-products.
Operation guidelines were announced for the organizations that certify quality agri-products.
The management guidelines were promulgated for the shipment of live products from aquaculture so to encourage exports.
To enhance the livestock industry, the maximum loan amount has been doubled and the interest rate lowered to 1.75 percent from 2 percent for the next two years.
Flow charts of Taiwan Good Agricultural Practices were announced for passion fruit, plum, mulberry, chili pepper, celery, leguminous vegetables, compost-based mushroom, bag-based mushroom, and bottle-based mushroom.
The procurement prices for public grains were increased at NT$2.00/kg for each category of grains.
New Zealand government agreed the importation of Taiwan’s lychees after heating or refrigerating treatment for insect control.
The awards ceremony was held for the ten outstanding agricultural production and marketing groups in 2007.
The outstanding farm-based wineries, wines and creative packaging for 2007 were presented to the public.
An exhibition of high-quality goods produced by farmers’ and fishermen’s associations was held in Kaohsiung to introduce quality agri-products to the private sector and general public in southern Taiwan.
The COA participated in the 2007 Taipei International Travel Fair with theme pavilions on agro-tourism.
Press conferences were held for the two new books on country-side living and agro-tourism, respectively.
An exhibition was conducted to display the achievements on past creative efforts in establishing farmer living support system.
The COA Vice Minister Lee Jen-chyuan led a group for an official visit to New Zealand. Apart from on-site visits to livestock industry and kiwi fruit production, the group had in-depth dialogs with its counterparts on agricultural trade, quarantine, international cooperation, and other issues of mutual concern.
The Public Construction Commission of the Executive Yuan awarded the COA’s Soil and Water Conservation Bureau on ecological engineering to rectify the Hofanchuken Creek in Taipei County, and Taitung Irrigation Association on de-silting ecological engineering for the Kasavakan Dike.
