The Seed Law should not become a shield for shirking responsibility

Recently, while conducting interviews at seed production bases in Xinjiang and Gansu, the author found that some local regulatory authorities, when investigating and handling seed-related illegal cases, err on the side of leniency and lightness. When choosing which provisions to apply, they often use the maximum fine of 50,000 yuan for seed-related violations stipulated in the Seed Law as a shield, do not pursue criminal liability, and create no real deterrent against lawbreakers.

In fact, cracking down on seed-related illegal acts does not mean there are no laws to rely on or no measures to take. The Seed Law explicitly provides that if an illegal act constitutes a crime, criminal liability shall be pursued in accordance with the law. Moreover, last year the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Public Security and the State Administration for Industry and Commerce already launched a joint crackdown on counterfeiting, and a series of cooperation mechanisms such as "linkage between the two laws" have also been established. When regulatory authorities either turn a blind eye, or investigate without handling the matter, or even worse, investigate an illegal case into a legal one, is it due to laziness in governance, or is it intentional inaction?

Seed quality determines farmers' annual harvest. Seed-related illegal acts involve a wide scope and have a terrible impact. Compared with the losses of easily millions or even tens of millions caused by fake seeds, the maximum fine limit of 50,000 yuan clearly cannot stop lawbreakers from profiting by making and selling fake seeds. Agricultural, industrial and commercial, public security and supervisory departments should work together and comprehensively use administrative, economic, legal and other means. Wherever an economic crime is constituted, criminal liability must be resolutely pursued in accordance with the Criminal Law, and cases must be investigated and handled strictly and severely. Never let the Seed Law become a "shield" and let fake seeds break farmers' hearts.