(1) Promotion of the CAS Quality Food Certification System

The "Operating Directions for Accreditation and Certification of CAS Agricultural Products" has been promulgated in December 2004. This serves as a basis for promoting the CAS quality food mark and integrating the CAS mark accreditation and certification system. The framework and procedures of the CAS quality food certification system are intended to improve the quality of agricultural products and processed goods, to protect consumers' rights, and to strengthen and expand the use of the quality food mark. The COA has accordingly drafted improvement measures aimed at strengthening the use, management, and tracking of CAS quality food mark, and eliminating fraudulent use.

The COA has been promoting the CAS quality food certification system for 15 years. There are 13 categories of foods that bear the CAS mark including meat products, frozen foods, fruit and vegetable juices, quality rice, pickles and preserves, TV dinner, fresh mushrooms, refrigerated prepared foods, fermented foods, snacks, fresh eggs, and freshly-cut produce, and the new forest product°Vbamboo charcoal. A total of 5,723 products from 228 companies have passed CAS certification with an annual yield around NT$40 billion.

The COA sponsored numerous education and publicity activities on CAS system for the public to have a better understanding of the CAS quality food mark. These activities included CAS quality food certificate awarding ceremonies, CAS quality food monthly promotion in the campus at 11 elementary schools, CAS workshops at 7 factories, CAS Q&A contests, CAS big buyers contest, CAS testing activities, CAS quality food marketing product presentation, CAS cut vegetable and frozen vegetable applied technique training course for fresh food industry, and 3 CAS vegetarian food presentation.

(2) Assisting Production and Marketing of GAP Fruits and Vegetables and Developing Organic Agriculture

The COA's promotion of GAP mark certification was done through various media and symposiums to encourage produce production- marketing teams to use GAP certification, assisted GAP production-marketing teams, strengthened GAP product marketing, conducted evaluation and commendations, and strengthened the quality monitor work for farmers to be willing to use the GAP mark. A total of 110 produce production-marketing teams passed the certification process in 2004, bringing the cumulative number of certified teams to 1,645, accounting for 36% of all the teams nationwide. Annual output of GAP fruits and vegetables reached more than 550,000 tons, accounting for 10% of total produce output. To strengthen the marketing of GAP products, the COA assisted in supplying GAP vegetables to the product marketing companies in Taipei, Sanchung, and Taichung, supplying more than 8,700 tons of GAP to the markets, a 26% growth over the year of 2003, and the transaction price of GAP vegetables averaged 56% higher than ordinary vegetables. The COA used the media to make the public recognize the GAP mark, and installed GAP produce vending sections at 195 supermarkets for the convenience of consumers.

The COA actively assisted the production of organic produce, strengthened the quality control of organic produce, held technical lectures and symposiums on organic produce marketing, organic farming achievement exhibitions (sales promotion), organic food and beverage promotions, and organic concept seminars, in order to increase the consumption of organic produce. The International Foundation of Natural Ecology, Taiwan Organic Agricultural Production Association, and the Taiwan Organic Agriculture Foundation is the organizations that is authorized to certify organic produce. At the end of 2004, there were 954 growers cultivating 1,246 hectares that had been certified. The COA plans to draft an organic produce mark and relevant regulations to facilitate consumers in identifying organic produce, in order to have a sound organic agricultural production system and to protect the rights and interest of consumers.

(3) Improving Safety Management of Agricultural Materials

With regard to pesticide registration and application, issuance, and extension of license, and the amendment of registered matters, 1,004 licenses were issued and extended, 1,321 cases of marks and indications were reviewed and filed application for advertisement, 747 tariff exempt certificates were issued for technical grade pesticides and raw materials, 52 English sales certificates were issued, and 378 commissioned field test and toxicology test reports were accepted. Furthermore, to strengthen managing pesticide dealers and to monitor quality of pesticide sold in the market, the COA conducted 39 personnel qualification training sessions and refresher lectures and workshops for dealers, inspected 1,537 retailers, and cracked down 8cases of unlicensed sale or illicit marking or advertising. The COA also conducted random inspection on 1,143 pesticides sold in the market, in which 60 were fake pesticides and 163 were low-grade pesticides; all violations were prosecuted in accordance with relevant law. The COA also conducted joint inspections with local governments, prosecutors, and the police, and uncovered 2 factories manufacturing fake pesticides and 13 dealers selling fake pesticides, all of which were prosecuted.

In order to put fertilizer management on a sound footing, assure fertilizer quality, and protect farmers' rights and interests, the COA assisted dealers to register fertilizers in accordance with the Fertilizer Management Law and related regulations. The COA issued 4,039 fertilizer licenses, assisted special municipalities, and county/city governments in conducting random inspection on 498 cases of fertilizers and 222 cases on fertilizer indications, in which 32 of the cases failed to meet requirements, accounting for 6%, and were sent to the local governments for investigations. To ensure crop safety and sustainable soil utilization, the COA conducted numerous fertilizer management lectures and printed 2,000 copies of Fertilizer Control Code to teach dealers how to strengthen their material control and quality control.

To promote the development of local agricultural machinery and ensure that farmers have access to high-quality agricultural machinery with a sound after-sales service, the COA conducted a agricultural machinery performance test in accordance with its testing guidelines, tested 15 types of agricultural machinery including self-propelled misting machines, hay cutters, plastic sheet laying machines, row applicators fertilizer, grading and packing machines, and high-pressure spray cooling systems. The COA alsoassistedmanufacturers to get agricultural machinery loans for approved machineries and subsidies for a certain brand and model.

(4) Implementation of Crop Productionmarketing Safety Management

To protect consumers' rights, the COA was established a rice grading and selling system, conducted 1,010 random inspection of rice samples sold on the market, in which 97.4% passed indication inspection and 93.8% passed quality inspection. Also, in an effort to boost the hygienic and safety inspection of public rice stocks, the COA conducted a random test on heavy metal and pesticides residue content on 416 samples of rice from individual farmers. Those farmers whose rice failed to meet standards were tracked and given assistance. The COA also conducted 59 promotional sessions to impart the right concept of using pesticides to farmers.  　

To protect consumers' health and prevent substandard produce from getting into the market, the COA implemented monitor and control of pesticide residue on agricultural products, and tested 12,406 samples of fruits, vegetables, and tea in the fields before harvest and shipment; 97.57% of them passed the tests, and those who failed tests were investigated in accordance with law or urged to delay harvest, and implemented safe pesticide tracking and education. The COA set up 80 biochemical testing stations at town and township farmers' associations or cooperatives to assist farmers testing pesticide residues. Among the 196,809 samples tested, 96.76% had an inhibition rate of less than 35%. Furthermore, the COA assisted 12 produce markets including Taipei Agricultural Produce Sales Company to conduct pesticide residue test on incoming produce to ensure that only safe produce is sold.

The COA installed 6 pollutants standard index monitoring stations to monitor air pollution in the field. The COA also assisted 9 cities and counties and 14 towns and townships to monitor rice grown on farmland suspected of cadmium, mercury, or lead pollution. A total of 241 rice samples were tested, including 91 samples during the first period and 147 samples during the second period. As a result, 11 parcels of farmland totaling 4.94 hectares were found to be substandard, and 23,830 kg of contaminated rice was destroyed.

The COA tested taro fields in Tachia Town, Taichung County suffering from wastewater pollution and found that the soil in 6 parcels of taro fields totaling 1.71 hectares had nickel concentration exceeding standards. It was also found that 18 parcels of farmland totaling 4 hectares in the Peitou District of Taipei City had heavy metal content exceeding standards. All crops grown on contaminated farmlands were destroyed to prevent the produce from getting into the market.

(5) Strengthening Aquaculture Products Production-marketing Safety Management

In order to improve the quality of cultivated fish and shellfish, aside from conducting aquaculture management lectures, the COA randomly conducted quality inspection of aquaculture products and environmental quality monitoring. The COA also created warning data and adopted preventive and counter measures to strengthen the testing of drugs added in the aquaculture feeds and drug residues in aquaculture products.

The COA established a new guideline for the aquaculture industry in order to upgrade the level of aquaculture management. The "Guidelines for Establishment of Excellent Aquaculture Ponds," "Application for Excellent Aquaculture Ponds," and "The "Essential Points of Supervision" were promulgated in January 2004, and established a computerized management system for excellent aquaculture ponds and an aquaculture product supply chain tracking system. The COA assisted 36 fisheries to obtain excellent aquaculture pond certificates in 2004.

To protect the common rights and interests of producers and consumers, ensure the safety and sanitation of seafood, and boost the credibility of the testing system, the COA assisted the Seafood Inspection Service Center in obtaining Taiwan Accreditation Foundation (TAF) certification, assisted 11 seafood packingand processing plants run by fishermen's associations and cooperatives to improve their environmental sanitation, set up effective sanitary standards, and completed the preliminary Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) systems. The COA also drawn up regulations for use of the "Hai Yen" deluxe seafood certification mark, and assisted fishermen, fishing industry groups and seafood processing plants to apply for certification. A total of 145 items of products produced by 37 companies had passed certification in 2004.

(6) Strengthening Livestock and Poultry Products Production-marketing Safety Management

In order to establish a consumer-oriented livestock and poultry production marketing system and ensure the wholesomeness and safety of livestock products, the COA assisted 84 hog farms passing quality hog farm certification, and commissioned the Animal Technology Institute Taiwan and National Animal Industry Foundation to monitor drug residues in meat products. The COA further inspected 3,072 indication labels of fresh dairy products sold in the market, and performed random tests on 1,001 commercial fresh milk samples for ingredients and drug residues.

As for poultry products, the COA assisted in creating a common mark for quality poultry products, and assisted in the certification of "Taiwan Native Chicken," "CAS Quality Eggs," "Quality Preserved Eggs," and "Quality Goose Meat," a total of 48 suppliers passed certification. Inspection was strengthened in compliance with the major hazards of poultry products, and performed 2,012 tests in 2004.

Besides, to upgrade the quality of animal feeds and animal products, protect consumers' rights, and strengthened the control of feeds and feed additives, the COA assisted feed plants to set up a feed sanitary and safety control systems. Forty-five samples out of the2,277 samples of feed were tested had positive (1.98% positive rate) reaction. The COA also conducted 8 sessions of feed safety concept promotions and conducted 2 testing technological training classes.

More than 8.13 million hogs, 26,000 cattle, 17,000 goats, and 160 million poultry were subjected to meat inspection in 2004. Among 584 cases of illegal slaughtering, 47 illegal cases were found, and 237 carcasses and 31,719 kg of unwholesome meat were confiscated and destroyed. The COA conducted 43 promotions on public awareness of meat safety, executed 15,955 tests of drug residues on animals, and there were about 99.27% passed inspection rate. The COA also implemented reverse tracking on substandard meats, and advised illegal companies to make improvements.

(7) Putting the Plant and Animal Disease Prevention and Quarantine System on a Sound Footing

With regards to animal epidemic prevention, the COA implemented epidemic monitoring of cattle, goats, hogs, dogs, poultry, and wild birds, proving that Taiwan is still free of major zoonoses such as rinderpest, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, rabies, and highly pathogenic Avian Influenza.

As for plant disease and pest prevention, the COA established the National Fire Ant Control Center on November 1, 2004, drawn out 3 standard procedures for fire ant control, instituted seedling transfer controls, and assisted trainings of fire ant control teams in Taipei city and counties, Taoyuan city and counties, and Chiayi city and counties, and estimated to eliminate at least 90% of fire ant colonies nationwide within three years. The COA was also active in promoting the joint control of oriental fruit fly and melon fly. Fruit damage was limited to less than 4% over a 120,000-hectare control area. The COA also promoted joint control of field rats on 680,000 hectares of public land and farmland, and killed 80% of field rats. The COA actively sponsored the control of the apple snail (Pomacea canaticulata Lamarck), and other pests and diseases affected rice, head lettuce, and Miaoli-region strawberries. Pest control areas totaled more than 460,000 hectares.
With regards to plant and animal quarantine, a quarantine requirement on imported lumber was official implemented on December 1, 2004. About 85,520 lots of imported lumber and 65,635 lots of exported lumber were subjected to quarantine. The COA completed 27 risk assessment projects on 15,291 cases declared by new companies via Internet, and seized 86,782 kg of smuggled animals and animal products, including pigeons, thrushes, pheasants, ducks, gray frog hawks, dogs, and cats; all of which were destroyed.

In addition, the COA actively developed new diagnostic and identification technology for quarantine of organisms harmful to plants and animals, completed the installation of digitalized network system for harmful organism identification and diagnosis in animals andplants, set up and Taiwan plant virus database website (http://www.baphiq.gov.tw), formulated a standard identification and diagnosis procedures for plant and animal pests, and installed a database of common infectious diseases on humans and animals.

(8) Set up an Agricultural Products Traceability System

Consumer's concern to the safety of their food and drink grew with the increase of national income. All the nations in the world are actively establishing a set of total recording system of all the process from the farm to the table, and providing a reverse tracing system to protect consumers.

Safe agriculture is an advantage for Taiwanese agriculture to compete with low cost agricultural production nations, not only increasing consumers' dependability in domestic agricultural products, but also increasing the added value of agricultural products, a win-win approach in boosting farmers' incomes and consumers' safety. The COA began implementing an agricultural products traceability system in 2004, being applied first in organic rice and root vegetables.

The technology of global positioning system (GPS), geographical information system (GIS), PDAs, and grid were integrated in the agricultural products traceability system, made reverse tracking of the origin of products, and used field monitoring equipment to keep tabs of the production environment and its management accurately, simultaneously initiated standardized operating procedures for consumers' protection.

The COA will continue to promote the application of this system in the future, with priority on pineapples, Asplenium nidus, mangoes, head lettuce, tomatoes, vegetable soybeans, and cantaloupes being exported to Japan, followed by organic agricultural products including cabbage, water convolvulus, carrots, corn, strawberries, tea, fryer chickens, fish and seafood products including Taiwan tilapia, eels, and cobia, and will set up "Food Safety Chain" website year by year to achieve the target of safe agricultural products, hereby facilitate the sustainable development of ecological balance with Taiwanese agriculture.