Informing the public about agricultural policies and winning public support

An informed public is the COA’s best ally in making our agricultural sector more sustainable, healthy, and productive. Therefore public relations and information campaigns are a critical part of our job. In 2013 the COA held 138 press conferences, issued 390 press releases, and utilized coordinated and diversified marketing techniques to inform the public about policies. Activities in support of long-term policies included the following:

◆ In the interests of ensuring food safety for citizens and promoting products that meet the highest production standards, we organized systematic marketing for premium and safe domestically produced agro-products, created a special section on our website for “agro-product testing and inspection data,” recognized the nation’s top farmers with “Shennong Awards,” promoted wider understanding of the CAS labeling system and product traceability, and held activities to promote the Top100 Products of Farmers’ and Fishermen’s Associations.

◆ In the interests of raising awareness of the importance of increasing international competitiveness in our country’s agricultural sector, the COA held activities such as: (1) the 2014 Taiwan International Orchid Show; (2) a ceremony marking the winning by the COA’s Livestock Research Institute of accreditation from the “Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International”; and (3) a press conference to mark the investment in Taiwan by, and cooperative relationship established with, Germany’s Lohmann Animal Health Corporation.

◆ As part of the larger goal of diversifying the rural economy and finding new sources of value-added, the COA strongly promotes rural tourism. Among the many relevant activities we held in 2013 were a contest for selecting the most beautiful fishing harbors, the inclusion of rural recreational information in the interactive kiosks in convenience stores, public voting (via the Internet) to name “marquee dishes” that best typify the unique features of various local culinary traditions, promotion of travel itineraries in the eastern Taiwan counties of Hualien and Taitung, the “Sea of Flowers in Xinshe” event, and so on.

◆ Other public participation and information campaigns led by the COA in 2013 revolved around: (1) subsidies available to assist young people to start careers in farming; (2) incentives available to graduates of marine colleges to serve on fishing ships; (3) “tree-planting month”; and (4) the making of “micro-films” about stories of rural rejuvenation.

Special-case public information campaigns

In addition to continuing long-term policies, there are also major new policy innovations or short-term crisis issues that require particular emphasis. Major single-issue public information campaigns in 2013 included the following:

The program for adjustment of the cultivation system and bringing land back into use

Taking into consideration instability in the global food supply with a concomitant rise in food prices, the COA has adopted a policy of adjusting the cultivation structure and bringing fallow land back under cultivation. The policy aims to (i) avoid the negative effects of leaving land fallow for long periods and (ii) raise food-sufficiency for Taiwan. We began public information campaigns about the policy in January of 2013, producing 30-second advertisements, short Internet videos, newspaper stories, interviews, publicity materials, and more. We also have created a special section on our website with information about this policy, and organized seminars and meeting to explain the policy to farmers. The goals of this policy are to bring more fallow farmland back under cultivation, create more opportunities for young people to get into farming, raise production value, and strengthen the international competitiveness of Taiwan’s agricultural sector.

Banning slaughtering of live poultry in traditional markets

As a preventive measure against avian influenza and to protect the health of citizens, on May 17, 2013 the COA began implementing a ban on poultry slaughtering in traditional markets, in order to eliminate the risk of direct contact between live birds and people. In support of this policy, the COA launched three special-case information campaigns: (1) communication with the public and stakeholders about the policy; (2) promotion of domestic chicken sales; and (3) information about the prevention of avian influenza. These campaigns were conducted through a variety of media, including TV, radio, newspapers, the Internet, and outdoor media.

The campaigns aimed at persuading citizens that: (1) poultry slaughtered in slaughterhouses is preferable to that slaughtered live in traditional markets at butchers’ stalls; and (2) consumers should only buy poultry that has a label on the package certifying that it comes from a slaughterhouse certified by the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine. We arranged two media tours of the production and supply chain of traditionally-raised chickens, held 62 events to promote sales of domestically produced chicken, and issued 16 press releases. The goal of the policy is to regularize the poultry supply system, while protecting the rights, interests, and health of consumers.

Measures to prevent the spread of rabies

On July 16, 2013, Taiwan confirmed the diagnosis that three Formosan ferret-badgers (Melogale moschata subaurantiaca) had died of rabies. We immediately notified the World Organization for Animal Health that Taiwan had become a rabies zone. In order to prevent further spread of the disease, the COA intensified public information campaigns about pet immunization, while the Executive Yuan formed a special multi-ministerial task force to respond to the crisis and implement rabies- prevention measures.

On the information front here at the COA, we convened several press conferences focused on the development of the outbreak and issued 88 press releases. We also launched a “Two Don’ts and One Do” campaign for the public. Using the Internet, TV, radio, newspapers, posters, and non-governmental interest group channels, we told citizens: “Don’t abandon pets,” “Don’t capture or touch wild animals,” and “Do bring your pet to be vaccinated against rabies.” We also set up a special Internet page with rabies information to provide accurate data and information on the best ways to prevent the spread of the disease. By December 24, 2013, the rabies epidemic prevention work had progressed from “emergency response” to medium- and long-term prevention, and each ministry and agency resumed its normal operations.