New Taipei City Government Hosted Organic Agriculture Results Conference
New Taipei City Mayor Eric Chu today hosted the results conference for organic agriculture in New Taipei City. He addressed that because people nowadays generally eat less but higher-quality food, the non-toxic, organic farming is the trend with great outlook.
When the press asked Mayor Chu whether it is feasible to introduce organic products to school lunch, He replied that New Taipei City Government has been promoting organic agriculture since last year and achieved initial results of 75 registered, qualified farmers and 81-hectare of organic farm. The Government will step up its pace for promoting organic agriculture so that children in new Taipei City can enjoy the organic products in near future.
Today’s results conference invited 33 farmers to the event to award their successful conversion to organic farming in the past year. These 33 organic farmers are planting tea, bamboo shoots, and vegetables in areas such as Pinglin, Wugu, Sanxia, Bali, Wulai, etc.
In order to promote organic agriculture, New Taipei City Government set a precedent by counseling 26 local organic tea farmers and integrating them into two organic tea production groups. The government also counsel local bamboo shoot growers in Wugu, SanXia, and Bali on marketing their products.
Department of Agriculture of New Taipei City Government said they have proposed a number of programs to encourage farmers to convert to organic farming. Such programs include subsidies for organic fertilizers, biological control material, and green house and seminar for organic farming.
During the conference, Mayor Chu thanked Yingge Farmers’ Association, Tamsui Farmers’ Association, Shiowwang Foundation, and Sun Flower Charity Association for their support for school lunch. He issued a certificate of appreciation to each of them as his gratitude toward their cooperation.