The situation where farming doesn't earn money may be about to change. On August 28, the 14th National People's Congress Standing Committee voted to pass the newly revised Agricultural Law, clearly setting the enhancement of farmers' income and narrowing the urban-rural gap as core objectives, and writing them into law.
The new law proposes to 'comprehensively advance technology agriculture, green agriculture, quality agriculture, and brand agriculture.' This means that future farming must not only pursue yield but also focus on quality and branding. Those methods relying on chemical fertilizers and pesticides for low-end cultivation will gradually be eliminated, while new technologies such as smart agriculture, drones, and the Internet of Things will receive legal support.
Regarding farmland protection, the new law implements the strictest system, strengthening supervision of funds for high-standard farmland construction, prohibiting any unit or individual from withholding, occupying, or misappropriating funds. This indicates that the farmland protection red line is no longer a flexible constraint, and violations of land use will be severely punished.
The new law implements the 'big food concept,' not only focusing on rice and wheat but also encouraging the development of under-forest economy, grassland animal husbandry, and deep-sea aquaculture. This means people's food choices will become more diverse, and the scope of agriculture extends from farmland to the entire national territorial space, bringing huge opportunities for specialty breeding, forest and fruit economy, and ecological agriculture.
