Seed anti-counterfeiting efforts continue: Ministry of Agriculture and two other ministries join forces to ensure agricultural production
Website news. On January 21, reporters learned at the video conference held in Beijing by the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Public Security, and the State Administration for Industry and Commerce on the special action against infringement of variety rights and the production and sale of counterfeit and inferior seeds that this year the three ministries will continue to carry out the special seed anti-counterfeiting action. Vice Minister of Agriculture Yu Xinrong stressed at the meeting that seed anti-counterfeiting must follow the principle of addressing both root causes and symptoms and comprehensive governance, continue to carry out the special seed anti-counterfeiting action, maintain a high-pressure posture of strict investigation and strict crackdown, and strive to ensure the safety of seeds used in agricultural production. Vice Minister of Agriculture Chen Xiaohua chaired the meeting.
The meeting defined five major tasks for seed market supervision this year.First, highlight key supervision points and firmly tackle problem enterprises and problem markets. Key supervision and full-coverage inspections must be carried out on problem enterprises, markets, and stores already identified, as well as the varieties packaged and operated by these enterprises.Second, highlight governance at the production source and implement territorial subject responsibility. The Ministry of Agriculture will conduct an annual inspection and a biennial assessment of the supervision work of national-level seed breeding and production bases. For those that fail inspection for two consecutive years, their national-level base qualification, the fiscal reward and subsidy policies they enjoy, and infrastructure construction projects will be cancelled, and the assessment results will be made public.Third, highlight the investigation and handling of major and important cases and publicly expose illegal enterprises. For major typical cases, joint supervision must be carried out with public security and industry and commerce departments. Cases must be investigated and handled strictly and quickly in accordance with the law; where a crime is constituted, the case must be promptly transferred to public security organs, and practices such as failing to transfer cases and substituting fines for criminal punishment must be resolutely eliminated. Illegal acts must be publicly exposed through news media to deter lawbreakers.Fourth, highlight variety management and promote reform of the variety management system. Varieties with major defects, for which standard samples have not been submitted, or which have no production area must be resolutely withdrawn. Approval efforts must be increased for varieties suitable for mechanized operations, simplified and light cultivation, and broad adaptability and multiple resistance.Fifth, highlight innovation in supervision mechanisms and improve the long-term mechanism for seed anti-counterfeiting. A management system for variety identity information labeling must be established, shifting the focus of supervision from pre-approval to in-process and post-event supervision. The pilot scope for traceability of seed quality must continue to be expanded, application of e-commerce platforms must be promoted, and enterprises must be guided to implement entrusted operations.
The meeting required that all localities strengthen organizational leadership and implement subject responsibility; strengthen supervision and accountability and implement territorial responsibility; standardize law enforcement conduct and increase the intensity of law-based governance; attach great importance to the disclosure of seed case information, ensure that seed cases are disclosed promptly, create an atmosphere of public opinion supervision, and implement tasks with a nail-driving spirit to ensure that seed market order improves markedly.
In 2014, the Ministry of Agriculture, for the first time jointly with the Ministry of Public Security and the State Administration for Industry and Commerce, organized and carried out the special seed anti-counterfeiting action. The three departments struck together and handled cases jointly across provinces, investigating and handling more than 6,400 cases, revoking the licenses of 31 enterprises, transferring 115 cases to the judiciary, and punishing 34 criminal suspects. The safe supply of improved seeds effectively guaranteed the need for seeds in agricultural production and made an important contribution to the “eleven consecutive increases” in grain output.
