Happy Rural Golden Push Award, Pingtung is number one!

Pingtung County is a major agricultural county, and the county has worked with the farmers' associations of its townships and districts to actively promote agricultural extension work over the years. Recently, in the 1st "Happy Rural Golden Push Award" held by the Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan, after competition and selection among 195 farmers' associations, Pingtung County delivered outstanding results. A total of 2 farmers' associations, the Nanzhou Township Farmers' Association and the Jiuru Township Farmers' Association, won the honor of the "Happy Rural Golden Push Award," while 3 extension staff members, Ms. Li Lingjia of the Pingtung County Farmers' Association, Ms. Yang Qiuxiang of the Linluo Township Farmers' Association, and Ms. Liu Yafen of the Nanzhou Township Farmers' Association, also received recognition through the "Happy Rural Golden Push Award - Outstanding Agricultural Extension Model Award"!

During her work handling agricultural extension affairs as a technician at the Pingtung County Farmers' Association, Li Lingjia was elected as a grassroots ambassador and represented the organization at international conferences many times, and also served as an advising teacher for 4-H clubs at colleges and universities, passing on the 4-H spirit. Yang Qiuxiang, director of the Linluo Township Farmers' Association, has handled agricultural extension for more than 30 years and has received commendations many times. Liu Yafen, director of the Nanzhou Township Farmers' Association, guided young farmers to return home, built up the Nanzhou wax apple brand, and actively promoted agricultural insurance.

The Nanzhou Township Farmers' Association established a young farmers' association, built multiple crop brands and sales channels, and also ran innovative learning classes for older adults and industrial activities to market local agricultural products. The Jiuru Township Farmers' Association actively encouraged young farmers to return home, provided guidance to increase output value and use technology in agriculture to improve labor shortages, and opened a domestic coarse grains elementary class and incorporated local lemons and roses into dishes to promote local industries.

Zheng Yongyu, director of the Pingtung County Department of Agriculture, said he hopes the award winners will serve as models and learning examples for the development of extension work, encouraging Pingtung County's extension units to exchange ideas and grow together, and to build a happy countryside that is good for work and living.