Yang Jumen's contract farming of friendly rice restores paddy field ecology; farmers find it more relaxing to step on the soil barefoot

Yang Jumen, the "white rice bomber" who once spoke out loudly for agriculture, began promoting friendly contract farming in the Jinshan and Wanli areas of New Taipei City in 2015 and founded "Caitian Friendly Farming Co., Ltd." Over the past three years, he has continued to guide local small farmers to avoid pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers. Through contract purchasing, not only has the local ecology gradually recovered, but farmers' incomes have also increased.

Why did he start promoting friendly contract farming in the area? "Want the truth? I come here to dive." You might think he is joking, but Yang Jumen is serious, and he even complains earnestly, "This year I've been too busy. It's already May and I still haven't dived. I'm not very comfortable. Every time I come and pass by the seaside, I just look at the sea without touching the water."

"Everyone says it's for dreams, to make society better, and that this intention drives them forward. That kind of talk is too fake. I can't say it." Yang Jumen is blunt. At first he simply came to Jinshan to dive. "After a long time, my own employees felt they were only coming to dive and not doing any work, and they kept being talked about." Later, he passed by and saw a beautiful stretch of paddy field, and others kept gossiping. "I thought, why not ask around and see if anyone wants to do friendly contract farming with me. At the time I just thought that if no pesticides or chemical fertilizers were used, that field should be very beautiful."