A new type of professional farmer system will be established in China
Recently, the Central Committee deliberated and approved the "Opinions on Guiding the Orderly Transfer of Rural Land Management Rights to Develop Moderate-Scale Agricultural Operations." What policy innovations does the "Opinions" introduce? A reporter interviewed Minister of Agriculture Han Changfu on this matter.
Q: How should we accurately understand the “separation of three rights” - collective land ownership, contract rights, and management rights - in rural areas?
A: First, we must safeguard rural land collective ownership. Second, we must protect land contract rights. At the same time, we must liberalize management rights. The "Opinions" emphasize that we should encourage innovative forms of land transfer, develop various forms of moderate-scale operations; strengthen the construction of the land transfer service system, provide services to both parties in the transfer, and protect the rights and interests of both parties.
Q: In recent years, society has paid great attention to the question of “who will farm the land” in the future. What response measures does the "Opinions" propose?
⟦NL> A: The "Opinions" proposes measures in three areas: First, establish a new type of professional farmer system and cultivate new farmers. Second, guide land resources to flow to new types of agricultural production and operation entities, so that those willing to farm can obtain more land management rights. Third, increase support and improve services to provide a better external environment for the development of new types of agricultural operation entities. The "Opinions" mainly proposes a series of targeted support policies in terms of finance, banking, land use, and taxation.
Q: Currently, what is the situation of rural land management rights transfer, and what specific measures does the "Opinions" propose to guide orderly transfer?
A: China's rural land transfer is generally stable and healthy, but there are also some problems that need attention and resolution. For example, some places forcibly promote land transfer, one-sidedly pursue the scale and proportion of transfer, infringing on farmers' lawful rights and interests; in some places, the land transfer market is not sound, and the service level needs improvement; some industrial and commercial enterprises lease farmers' contracted land for long periods and large areas, and the problems of “non-grain” and “non-agricultural” use are relatively prominent. The "Opinions" proposes specific measures in four areas: First, adhere to the bottom line of land transfer. We must adhere to rural land collective ownership, adhere to voluntariness and compensation in accordance with the law, protect farmers' contract rights and interests, and must not launch a great leap forward, must not use coercive commands, and must not engage in blind administrative direction. We must ensure that transferred land is used for agricultural production, with key support for large-scale grain production. Second, encourage innovative forms of land transfer. Third, strictly regulate land transfer behavior. Fourth, strengthen the construction of the land transfer service system.