New Taipei's "Mechanical Weeding" Convenient Measure Abused: Agriculture Department Heavily Fines Illegal Land Grading

(Taiwan TB News Network / Reporter Sun Yaozhang) To allow farmers to quickly tend their own farmland, the New Taipei City Agriculture Department launched a streamlined and convenient application process for mechanical weeding of farmland, enabling farmers to use small machinery to remove weeds from their farmland. However, mechanical weeding refers to the use of powered machinery to remove brush and trees that cannot be cleared by manpower; it does not permit excavation or slope grading of farmland. A few days ago, a contractor surnamed Chen in Sanxia District applied to the Agriculture Department for mechanical weeding but actually carried out land grading. The Agriculture Department imposed a fine of NT$60,000 in accordance with the law and ordered the contractor to make corrections within a specified deadline; failure to correct by the deadline will result in consecutive penalties.

The New Taipei City Agriculture Department pointed out that at the very beginning of Year 111 (2022) of the Republic of China calendar, the Agriculture Department received a report from the Police Department that machinery was operating in Tianfu Village, Sanxia District. Preliminary understanding showed that the applicant had applied to the Agriculture Department for mechanical weeding to facilitate subsequent agricultural cultivation, in order to conduct a land boundary survey. Out of caution, the Agriculture Department immediately dispatched personnel to clarify the situation after receiving the report. On site, it was found that the contractor surnamed Chen had excavated the toe of the farmland slope. The contractor had excavated and graded the land without first preparing and submitting a soil and water conservation application, and was fined NT$60,000 by the city government, and was ordered to make corrections within a specified deadline. In this case, the Agriculture Department, the district office and other relevant units will continue to strengthen inspections. If corrections are not made by the deadline or if there are further violations, the city government will impose heavier penalties.

The New Taipei City Agriculture Department stated that applying for mechanical weeding is not a free pass. Excavation and land grading on hillside land, alteration of terrain and similar acts still require an application for a soil and water conservation plan, and work may only begin after approval. If the public has doubts about applying for a soil and water conservation plan, they may first apply to the Agriculture Department for free consultation from the soil and water conservation service team. The New Taipei City Soil and Water Conservation Service Team provides free professional soil and water conservation consultation every Monday and Thursday on the 22nd floor in New Taipei City. The public may also call the soil and water conservation service hotline at 02-2965-9930 for inquiries.

If the public discovers unknown persons or machinery arbitrarily excavating hillside land or piling up earth and rocks, they may call the 1999 New Taipei City citizen hotline to report it. New Taipei City will immediately dispatch personnel to stop and crack down on it. According to the Soil and Water Conservation Act, failure to implement soil and water conservation treatment and maintenance in accordance with regulations will result in a fine of no less than NT$60,000 and no more than NT$300,000. If it involves causing soil erosion, the offender will face criminal liability of no less than 6 months and will also be subject to a concurrent fine. The public is urged not to take chances and break the law.

(Provided by the New Taipei City Agriculture Department)