1. Amendments were announced to Paragraphs 2 and 4 of “Operational Directions for Loans Under the Agricultural Development Fund”; paragraphs 11 and 19 of “Directions for Loans for Agriculture Production and Marketing Groups and Members”; and Paragraphs 12 and 20 of “Directions for Loans for Farmers and Fishermen for Guidance and Assistance in Improvement of Management.”

2. Amendments were announced to Paragraphs 5, 13 and 18 of “Directions for Compositing Loans for Farm Households.”

3. The standard subsidy for abandoned orange groves for 2010 was set at NT$200,000 per hectare. In cases where abandonment of groves created concerns about market imbalances, the COA agreed to subsidize one-half of the costs of seedlings up to a limit of NT$50,000 per hectare, and NT$60,000 per hectare for grafted and improved varieties.

4. 2359 metric tons of publicly held reserves were released to meet the market demand for rice.

5. Market-adjustment measures were adopted for broccoli and radish. 562 metric tons were acquired, processed, and stored in order to stabilize the market price of these vegetables with timely interventions.

6. In the run-up to the Lunar New Year holiday, the COA strengthened coordination of the market to ensure an adequate supply of vegetables, fruits, and ornamental plants at stable prices.

7. A conference was held to comprehensively reassess and improve the mechanism for capturing and impounding homeless dogs.

8. An implementation review conference was held to discuss reinforcement measures for hoof-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccination, in order to improve relevant measures and solve problems that had been encountered.

9. The COA launched a series of events that would eventually culminate in activities to mark the International Day for Biological Diversity (May 22), 2010.

10. Under the guidance of the COA, the Taiwan Orchid Growers Association and floriculture businesses participated in the 2010 Japan International Orchid Show, winning more than 10 prizes.

11. The COA participated in the APEC Friends-of-the-Chair (FotC) Group on Food Issues held in Hiroshima, Japan, where APEC economic entities discussed the agenda for a future ministerial-level conference on food security.