Agricultural Policy and Regulations Summary

Author: Yi Fahu
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2002-07-01
Features: This textbook, "An Overview of Agricultural Policies and Laws," was compiled to meet the teaching needs of agricultural majors in higher education self-study examinations. Its purpose is to enable students to enhance their awareness of policies and laws, master knowledge of agricultural policies and laws, improve their ability to implement policies and laws, and better serve the construction of socialist market agriculture. With the development of China's socialist market economy, legal construction has become increasingly important. In fact, a market economy is, strictly speaking, a rule-of-law economy. The relationships and entities in a market economy require legal definition, each stage of its operation needs legal protection, fair competition in the market economy requires a sound legal environment, and the government's management, regulation, and service of the market economy primarily rely on the implementation of laws. The internationalization of the market economy also requires legal leadership. In short, the construction of a socialist market economy cannot be separated from the rule of law. Since the implementation of reform and opening-up, China's legal construction has accelerated significantly. The 15th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the 9th National People's Congress both made strategic decisions to govern the country according to law. General Secretary Jiang Zemin pointed out in the report of the 15th National Congress that "governing the country according to law is the fundamental strategy of the Party in leading the people to govern the country" and that "adhering to the principle of having laws to rely on, enforcing laws strictly, and punishing violations severely is an inevitable requirement for the smooth development of the Party and the state." The report of the 9th National People's Congress proposed, "It is necessary to adhere to the rule of law, strengthen the construction of socialist democracy and the rule of law, and all government agencies and staff must conscientiously implement the laws and policies of the state and govern according to law." The 2nd Session of the 9th National People's Congress passed the "Amendment to the Constitution of the People's Republic of China" on March 15, 1999, which stipulates that "the People's Republic of China practices the rule of law and builds a socialist country under the rule of law." Agriculture is a fundamental sector of the national economy, and the legal construction of agriculture is an important part of the country's overall legal construction. Since the implementation of reform and opening-up, China has made significant progress in agricultural economic legislation. In addition to the "Agricultural Law of the People's Republic of China," which was passed by the 2nd Session of the Standing Committee of the 8th National People's Congress on July 2, 1993, a series of agricultural laws and regulations have been issued and implemented, covering aspects such as the agricultural economic system, agricultural land, agricultural production materials, animal and plant epidemic prevention and quarantine, agricultural technology extension, the management of forestry, animal husbandry, and fishery, agricultural product circulation, agricultural investment, agricultural insurance, and agricultural taxation. These agricultural laws and regulations play a crucial role in consolidating and developing the achievements of China's rural economic system reform, ensuring agriculture's fundamental position in the national economy, safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of the vast majority of peasants, and promoting the development of socialist market agriculture. They serve as the legal basis for governing agriculture according to law. Agricultural laws and regulations are closely linked and inseparable from the agricultural policies of the ruling party. Agricultural policies are action guidelines formulated by the Party to achieve certain strategic goals and tasks in the field of agricultural economy during a specific historical period, based on its program and line. They are usually issued in Party documents, refined and improved through practice over time, and, when relatively mature, elevated to legal and regulatory forms through national legislation. Therefore, the Party's agricultural policies are the basis for agricultural laws and regulations, while agricultural laws and regulations are the legalization, specification, and stabilization of the Party's agricultural policies. Although the two are formulated by different organizations, follow different procedures, and have different implementation methods and scope of norms, their class attributes, content requirements, and social functions are consistent. Both are important components of the superstructure, embodying the common will and fundamental interests of hundreds of millions of peasants in China. They complement each other and serve the construction of China's agriculture. Based on this, we have named this textbook "An Overview of Agricultural Policies and Laws." This textbook consists of eleven chapters, which can be divided into three parts: Part I, Introduction. It includes Chapters 1 and 2, which primarily outline the basic knowledge of agricultural policies and laws. Part II, Major Agricultural Policies and Laws. It includes Chapters 3 to 10, a total of eight chapters, focusing on introducing the policies and legal norms of China's agricultural management system, agricultural land, agricultural resources and environment, agricultural production materials, agricultural technology extension, agricultural investment and insurance, rural taxation, and rural economic contracts. Part III, Agricultural Enforcement. It includes Chapter 11, emphasizing the knowledge of agricultural administrative enforcement and judicial aspects. To facilitate self-study, this book strives to present correct theoretical viewpoints, concise and applicable content, and easy-to-understand language. It is accompanied by the "Self-Study Examination Outline for An Overview of Agricultural Policies and Laws," which specifies the post-learning objectives for each chapter (including assessment knowledge points and assessment requirements).