Promulgated on May 30 last year (2018), the Organic Agriculture Promotion Act was officially implemented on May 30, 2019.
Mayor Ko Wen-je announced today that in order to provide school children in Taipei City with safer food ingredients, Taipei Agricultural Products Marketing Co., Ltd. will be supplying organic vegetables for all junior high school and elementary school lunches in Taipei City at least once a week, starting in the 2019 academic year. The aim is to allow the children to eat safer, healthier food.
When visiting the organic vegetable cutting/chopping plant and farm of the Taoyuan City Farmers’ Association, Ko suggested that Taoyuan City Government and the Farmers’ Association have established a comprehensive production, sales and supply chain connecting organic farms to schools, enabling school children to enjoy high quality food with peace of mind.
In addition, looking after organic farmers through guaranteed price contract farming is something that we can all learn from. In order to ensure the reliable source of organic ingredients used for preparing school lunches, and to take care of small organic farmers throughout Taiwan, Taipei City Government has appointed Taipei Agricultural Products Marketing Co., Ltd. as the official supplier of organic lunch ingredients directly from farm to table. From production, cultivation to assembly, packing, cutting/chopping, to processing and logistics, the processes all comply with organic regulations, thereby ensuring food safety and quality through rigorous inspections.
According to Ko, the Greater Taipei region is the largest consumer of agricultural goods in the country, so only tangible consumption will foster the production of safer, higher quality produce and in turn increase the farmers' incomes. In the future, Taipei City Government will facilitate interaction and association between students and farmers by supplying organic fruits and vegetables. It will also arrange for students to experience food and agricultural education at organic farms, helping them understand organic farming and appreciate the farmers' hardships. The aim is to enhance the school children's knowledge of life and inculcate the concept of cherishing food in them, thereby realizing the meaning of starting food and agricultural education at a young age.
Mayor: Lunch at Junior High Schools, Elementary Schools to Feature Organic Vegetables at Least Once a Week
