(1) Strengthening safety management of agricultural products

1. To ensure the safety of farming, fishery, and livestock products and foodstuffs, the COA has implemented a variety of tests for agricultural products. We screened for pesticide residue in the fields and at distribution centers, testing 9,242 fruits and vegetables, 1,073 tea samples, and 653 rice samples. In addition, the Agricultural Research Institute aided farmers’ groups and produce markets in setting up their own biochemical test centers, which together tested a total of 547,102 samples. In 2009, 42,089 samples of livestock and poultry were randomly selected for pre-market drug residue screening. Under the fishery product drug residue and heavy metals screening program, 1,217 samples were randomly chosen for testing. With guidance from the COA, fish markets performed rapid drug residue testing and random hygiene testing on 2,000 samples. To protect consumers, farmers are required to delay harvesting if they receive positive test results and receive follow-up consultations. In some instances, the case may be sent to the local government for legal action and enhanced monitoring.

2. In order to strengthen feed producer safety management, the COA performed a total of 2,323 random tests for drugs, such as antibiotics and sulfonamides, and melamine in feed. In addition, 431 random tests were performed on aquaculture feed for drug residue and melamine. In the event that a sample fails to meet required standards, the local government consults with the firm to bring them up to standard and all failing items are destroyed.

(2) Promoting the GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) produce safety certification system

　To encourage the safe usage of pesticides and enable consumers to recognize and purchase safe produce, the COA continued to promote the GAP Produce Safety Certification System. Production and marketing groups were given guidance to strengthen their structure, implement safe pesticide use techniques, and record the pesticides employed. The application and review process for GAP certification is performed pursuant to the Regulations Governing GAP Produce Safety Certification System. The COA endeavored to strengthen the marketing of GAP products, while improving quality control, examination, and training in order to raise product safety and quality. In 2009, the COA provided guidance to 1,526 production and marketing groups who were later GAP certified, representing a total of more than 19,000 hectares of land and an annual output of 390,000 tons of produce. We established the GAP produce brand, outlining product and packaging standards for a total of 30 types of vegetables. Goods from GAP-certified production and marketing groups were sold to the Taipei Agricultural Products Marketing Corp., and the Sanchong and Taichung Produce Companies. On average, GAP-certified vegetables sold for NT$3 to NT$10 more than uncertified produce. Also, GAP safe produce stalls were set up in 352 supermarkets to educate consumers and encourage them to make safe food choices.

(3) CAS-certified premium agricultural products

1. In 1989, the COA established the CAS certification program in order to ensure the safety of domestic agricultural products and foods made from them, thereby protecting the rights and interests of consumers. Since its inception, the CAS logo has come to represent safety and quality to consumers, serving as a key criterion upon which local consumers base their purchases. CAS logo recognition has reached over 82% among consumers.

2. There are currently four certification bodies accredited by the COA to certify the 14 CAS product categories, which include meats, frozen foods, rice, eggs, and aquaculture and forestry products. These organizations performed over 900 audits of factories and tested a total of more than 3,000 products to ensure public trust in the certification process. Through the end of 2009, a total of 6,056 products from 301 producers achieved CAS certification, representing a yearly output of 710,000 tons of products valued at over NT$43 billion.

(4) Organic farming development

1. In order to spur the development of organic agriculture in Taiwan, the COA has strengthened guidance to those farmers applying for organic certification, promoted organic farming zones, and worked to expand organic farming production. The COA has also held organic farming and harvesting training sessions to improve organic farming techniques. Long-term cooperation with distributors has been established and the COA has added a CAS organic certification category to expand marketing channels for organic agricultural products. To manage imports of organic products, the COA has established an inspection and reporting system that is on par with that used to regulate domestic organic products. We have also drawn up and implemented regulations governing the labeling of imported organic goods.

2. Through the end of December 2009, the COA has accredited 11 organic agroproduct certification agencies to verify the status of organic products. A total of 1,277 organically-certified farms have been audited, confirming an area of 2,960 hectares of organic farmland, which include rice paddies, vegetable fields, fruit orchards, and tea plantations.

3. In order to ensure that organic goods meet relevant regulations, a total of 1,657 random tests were carried out on products procured in the fields and at retail locations. Of the products tested, a total of 98.7% met organic standards. Product labels were reviewed on a total of 3,934 items and 3,756 (95.4%) met required standards. In cases where products failed either examination, county and municipal governments took necessary legal action to protect the rights of consumers.

(5) Promoting a traceability system for agricultural products

1. By promulgating the Agricultural Production and Certification Act, the COA has set up the legal framework for an agricultural product traceability certification system. We have drawn up a series of Taiwan Good Agricultural Practices (TGAP) in line with international safety standards. In addition, the COA established an impartial third-party conformity assessment system and set up a traceability information retrieval system.

2. By the end of 2009, there were a total of 14 certification bodies accredited by the Taiwan Accreditation Foundation (TAF) to certify a variety of agricultural products including regular, organic, and processed crops and livestock, poultry, and fishery products along with the processed products made from them. These organizations certified a total of 1,694 agricultural product operators, which produced NT$3.68 billion worth of 132 categories of products currently on the market. As we continue to promote the traceability system, priority will be given to products whose import countries require traceability, those with stable distribution channels and whose price can reflect the costs, and those about which there are some safety concerns.

(6) Monitoring meat inspection

To ensure the safety of meat products sold in Taiwan, the Meat Inspection Division employed over 400 trained and certified meat inspectors to monitor cleanliness and sanitation in the nation’s approved slaughterhouses in 2009. In addition, veterinarians from each branch of the COA’s Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine (BAPHIQ) performed unscheduled inspections of a total of 8.22 million heads of livestock in slaughterhouses across Taiwan, finding 1.7 million substandard specimens over the year. A total of 3,883 heads had to be discarded in their entirety, while parts of 1.696 million others were discarded. In addition, a total of over 200 million poultry were inspected, of which 7.13 million had to be partially or completely discarded. Official meat inspections prevented unsuitable carcasses from entering the market, maintaining Taiwan’s strict meat product standards.

(7) Enhancing disease prevention measures and quarantine in plants and animals

1. The COA continued to apply eradication measures for swine fever and foot-and-mouth disease along with disease prevention measures for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). We have strictly implemented inspections and quarantine for imports and strengthened disease monitoring, reporting, and warnings to keep Taiwan free of rabies, HPAI, and Mediterranean fruit flies. We have implemented comprehensive measures to prevent the spread of red imported fire ants (RIFA) and invasive plants. Inspections for the use of illegal pesticides and veterinary drugs were also intensified.

2. In 2009, quarantine inspections were conducted on 380,000 tons of animal and plant products for export and 12.19 million tons of imported products. The COA promoted cyberization of customs declaration procedures by moving 85% of operations to the web. We actively worked to overcome existing inspection and quarantine obstacles, clearing the path for poultry products to be exported to Korea, fruits to the USA, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Chile, and Australia, and moth orchids with growing media to the USA, Korea, and Canada, successfully expanding overseas markets for Taiwanese agricultural products.

3. In 2009, 9.7 tons of smuggled livestock products and 362 animals were seized and destroyed. A total of 43 detector dogs and their handlers were stationed at key import portals. They detected a total of 49 tons of contraband, effectively preventing pests and agricultural diseases from entering Taiwan.