The Management and Supervision of Organic Agricultural Production in Taiwan

有機農業涵蓋優質、安全、休閒、生態農業四大領域，具有生產、生活及生態之特性，為三生一體之產業，在國人生活品質日益提高，追求健康的消費及重視環境保護下，強調優質安全的有機農產品，將會蓬勃發展。 依據「國際有機農業運動聯盟（International Federal of Organic Agriculture Movement，簡稱IFOAM）」出版之2007 年世界有機農業（The World of Organic Agriculture）資料，全球有機農業面積已達3,055 萬公頃，較2000年1,055 萬公頃，增加2,000 萬公頃，成長率達189﹪。另依據世界有機農業2007 年統計與發展趨勢資料（The World of Organic Agriculture Statistics & Emerging Trends 2007），至2005 年全球有機食品市場達330 億美元，較2002年的230 億美元成長43％。國內有機農業面積亦從1996 年的160 公頃，成長至2008 年5 月底的2,135 公頃，增加1,975 公頃。 依據「農產品生產及驗證管理法」之授權，農委會於96 年7 月訂定發布「有機農產品及有機農產加工品驗證管理辦法」、「進口有機農產品及有機農產加工品管理辦法」等2 項子法，強制規定國內生產、加工、分裝及流通之有機農產品、有機農產加工品需經驗證及進口有機農產品需經審查程序，方得以有機名義販賣，以維護有機標示之正確性，保障國內有機農友及消費者權益。 發展有機農業為農委會重要施政項目之一，農糧署將積極輔導農民擴大有機農業生產、提升有機生產技術、加強認驗證管理、拓展行銷通路及推動有機農產品標章（OTAP）等工作，以創造生產者、通路業者及消費者三贏之局面。 The principles behind organic agriculture consist of the sustainable use and recycling of natural resources without utilization of artificial chemical substances. They also emphasize a management system for the conservation of land and water resources as well as ecological balance, so that the goal of producing natural and safe agricultural products can be achieved. The primary objectives of organic agriculture are therefore to ensure that the ecological habitat on which soil, plants, animals and human beings interdepend is maintained in a healthy state, and that harmony between production and livelihood can also be sustained. Many nations of the world have indeed selected organic agriculture as one of their most important target development plans. Organic agriculture is an integral part of the country's agricultural policy and aims to make agricultural production safe for human consumption. The Agriculture and Food Agency has adopted the Council of Agriculture’s policies of “health, efficiency and sustainable development” as its guiding principles in the promotion of organic farming practices and development in Taiwan. Under the authority of the Agricultural Production and Certification Act, the agency has promulgated the Organic Agricultural Products and Organic Agricultural Processed Products Certification Management Regulations as well as the Imported Organic Agricultural Products and Organic Agricultural Processed Products Management Regulations to strengthen the certification process of organic agricultural products. According to these regulations, the certification of organic products is mandatory. Any agricultural product claiming to be organic must pass the certification process before it is allowed to be labeled as “organic.”. The agency has also been actively supervising farmers in adopting or expanding organic production practices, improving production techniques, extending sales channels, and utilizing organic production control. With these measures in place, consumers will be able to enjoy safe and high-quality produce. As of the end of May, 2008, the Council of Agriculture has accredited four organic certification agencies, the MOA International Foundation of Nature Ecology, the Taiwan Organic Production Association, the Tse-Hsin Organic Agricultural Foundation and the Taiwan Formosa Organic Association, which undertake organic production certification processes in Taiwan. The number of farms certified for organic production was 925, which represents a total certified area of 2,135 hectares, including paddy fields for growing rice, vegetables, fruit trees, tea bushes and other crops. This constitutes 0.28% of the 2006 figure of 751,000 hectares of total arable land in Taiwan