A Comprehensive Summary of the 50 Most Complete Agricultural Benefit Subsidy Policies of 2015

The latest policies and measures introduced by the state in 2015 to deepen rural reform, support grain production, and promote farmers' income growth:

1. Direct grain subsidy policy

The central government will continue to implement direct subsidies to grain farmers, and in principle the subsidy funds are required to be paid to farmers engaged in grain production, with the specifics to be determined by each provincial-level people's government according to actual conditions. In January 2014, the central government had already pre-allocated 15.1 billion yuan in direct grain subsidy funds for 2015 to the provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities).

2. Comprehensive agricultural input subsidy policy

In January 2015, the central government had already pre-allocated 107.1 billion yuan in comprehensive agricultural input subsidy funds to the provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities).

3. Improved seed subsidy policy

Subsidies are 10 yuan per mu for wheat, corn, soybean, rapeseed, and highland barley. Among these, the improved wheat seed subsidy in the Xinjiang region is 15 yuan; rice and cotton receive 15 yuan per mu; first- and second-grade seed potatoes receive 100 yuan per mu; peanuts receive 50 yuan per mu for improved seed breeding and 10 yuan per mu for field production.

4. Agricultural machinery purchase subsidy policy

The central government's agricultural machinery purchase subsidy funds implement a fixed-quota subsidy, meaning the same type and same grade of agricultural machinery applies a unified subsidy standard within a province.

5. Pilot policy for agricultural machinery scrapping and renewal subsidies

The subsidy standards for agricultural machinery scrapping and renewal are determined by the model and category of the scrapped tractor or combine harvester. For tractors, the subsidy amount ranges from 500 yuan to 11,000 yuan depending on the horsepower range, while for combine harvesters it ranges from 3,000 yuan to 18,000 yuan depending on the feed rate (or number of harvesting rows).

6. Policy of tilting new subsidies toward grain and other important agricultural products, new agricultural business entities, and main producing areas

The state will increase support for new agricultural business entities such as specialized large-scale farmers, family farms, and farmers' cooperatives, and implement a policy of tilting new subsidies toward specialized large-scale farmers, family farms, and farmers' cooperatives.

7. Policy of raising the minimum purchase prices for wheat and rice

The minimum purchase price for wheat (third grade) produced in 2014 was raised to 118 yuan per 50 kg, 6 yuan higher than in 2013, an increase of 5.4%; the minimum purchase prices for early indica rice (third grade, same below), mid-to-late indica rice, and japonica rice produced in 2014 were raised to 135 yuan, 138 yuan, and 155 yuan per 50 kg respectively, 3 yuan, 3 yuan, and 5 yuan higher than in 2013, with increase rates of 2.3%, 2.2%, and 3.3% respectively. In 2015, the temporary purchase and storage policies for corn, rapeseed, and sugar will continue to be implemented.

8. Reward policy for major grain (oil) producing counties

The reward standard for regular major grain-producing counties is 5-80 million yuan, and the reward funds serve as general transfer payments to be used at the discretion of the county-level people's government, while reward funds for super major grain-producing counties are used to support grain production and industrial development. While rewarding major grain-producing counties, the central government gives key rewards to the top 5 super major grain-producing provinces among the 13 main grain-producing areas, with appropriate rewards for the rest, and the reward funds are used by provincial-level finance to support grain production and industrial development in their respective provinces.

The reward coefficient for rapeseed is increased by 20%, and soybeans already included in the major grain-producing county rewards will continue to be rewarded; counties that qualify must receive no less than 1 million yuan in reward funds, all of which are used to support oilseed production and industrial development.

9. Reward policy for major pig-producing counties

Calculations are based on the weights of pig transfer-out volume, slaughter volume, and inventory at 50%, 25%, and 25% respectively. The central government will continue to implement rewards for major pig transfer-out counties.

10. Target price policy for agricultural products

In 2015, pilot target price subsidy programs will be launched for soybeans in Northeast China and Inner Mongolia and for cotton in Xinjiang, target price insurance pilots for agricultural products such as grain and pigs will be explored, and pilot marketing loans for large-scale grain production business entities will be carried out.

11. Subsidy policy for key technologies for agricultural disaster prevention and mitigation and stable and increased production

The central government allocated 6.05 billion yuan in subsidies for key technologies for agricultural disaster prevention and mitigation and stable and increased production, achieving full coverage of wheat “one spray, three preventions” in main producing provinces.

12. Policy to deepen support for high-yield creation of grain, cotton, oil, and sugar

In 2013, the central government allocated 2 billion yuan in special funds to build 12,500 ten-thousand-mu demonstration plots nationwide, and selected 5 cities (prefectures), 81 counties (cities), and 600 townships (towns) to carry out whole-system high-yield creation pilots. In 2015, the state will continue to allocate 2 billion yuan in special funds to support high-yield creation of grain, cotton, oil, and sugar and whole-system advancement pilots, and on this basis carry out research on grain yield increase models, integrate and promote regional, standardized high-yield and high-efficiency technology models, and radiate and drive balanced yield increases across regions.

13. Support policy for the creation of standard horticultural crop gardens

In 2015, the creation of standard horticultural crop gardens will continue to be promoted, and 70% of the 2013 funding scale has already been allocated to local areas.

14. Subsidy policy for soil testing and formulated fertilization

In 2015, the central government allocated 700 million yuan in special funds for soil testing and formulated fertilization. In 2015, the promotion area of soil testing and formulated fertilization technology for crops reached 1.4 billion mu; the formulated fertilization area for grain crops reached more than 700 million mu; free soil testing and formulated fertilization guidance services were provided to 190 million farming households, striving to achieve cost savings and efficiency gains of more than 30 yuan per mu in demonstration areas.

15. Subsidy policy for improving soil organic matter

In 2015, the central government allocated 800 million yuan in special funds to continue promoting straw return and decomposition technology, green manure planting technology, and soybean rhizobium inoculation technology in suitable areas, while focusing on promoting comprehensive acidified soil improvement and fertilization technology in southern rice-producing areas, promoting increased application of organic fertilizer in northern grain-producing areas, and promoting comprehensive soil improvement and fertilization technology in areas with severe saline-alkali land.

16. Support policy for making seed enterprises integrating breeding, propagation, and promotion bigger and stronger

The Ministry of Agriculture, together with relevant ministries and commissions, will continue to increase policy support to advance the growth and strengthening of enterprises integrating breeding, propagation, and promotion. First, strengthen project support. Second, promote the flow of scientific and technological resources to enterprises. Third, optimize the development environment for the seed industry.

17. Support policy for building an agricultural product traceability system

Approved by the National Development and Reform Commission, the construction of an agricultural product quality and safety traceability system was formally included in the "National Agricultural Product Quality and Safety Inspection and Testing System Construction Plan (2011-2015)", with a total investment of 49.85 million yuan, specifically for the construction of the national agricultural product quality and safety traceability management information platform and the unified development of the national agricultural product quality and safety traceability management information system.

18. Support policy for standardized agricultural production

The central government continued to allocate 23.4 million yuan in fiscal funds to subsidize the demonstration of standardized agricultural production implementation, and nationwide, relying on counties (districts) with high concentration of “three gardens and two farms” and “three products and one label”, created 44 standardized agricultural production demonstration counties.

19. Livestock improved breed subsidy policy

The improved pig breed subsidy standard is 40 yuan per breeding sow; the improved dairy cattle breed subsidy standard is 30 yuan per breeding cow for Holstein, Jersey, and dairy buffalo, and 20 yuan per breeding cow for other breeds; the improved beef cattle breed subsidy standard is 10 yuan per breeding cow; the improved sheep breed subsidy standard is 800 yuan per breeding ram; and the yak breeding bull subsidy standard is 2,000 yuan per breeding bull. In 2014, the state will continue to implement the livestock improved breed subsidy policy.

20. Support policy for standardized large-scale livestock farming

Since 2007, the central government has allocated 2.5 billion yuan annually nationwide to support the construction of standardized large-scale pig farms (communities); the support funds are mainly used for water, electricity, and road renovation, manure treatment, epidemic prevention, milking, quality testing, and other supporting facilities construction. In 2015, the state will continue to support standardized large-scale livestock and poultry farming.

21. Animal epidemic prevention subsidy policy

In 2015, the central government will continue to implement the animal epidemic prevention subsidy policy.

22. Grassland ecological protection subsidy and reward policy

The central government provides subsidies to herders at a calculated standard of 6 yuan per mu per year, with an initial determination of 5 years as one subsidy cycle; the central government provides grassland-livestock balance rewards to herders who do not exceed carrying capacity at a calculated standard of 1.5 yuan per mu per year; and provides herders with production subsidies, including livestock improved breed subsidies, forage improved seed subsidies (10 yuan per mu per year), and 500 yuan per household per year in comprehensive production material subsidies. In 2015, the state will continue to implement the grassland ecological protection subsidy and reward policy in 13 provinces (regions).