Candidate Byeongwon Kim Proposes National Funding Support for Eco-Friendly Agricultural Product Certification Fees

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] Kim Byung-won, the preliminary candidate for the Democratic Party of Korea for Naju·Hwasun, Jeonnam, announced on the 19th that he will actively prepare institutional measures to enable the budget required for eco-friendly agricultural product certification to be supported by national funds.

This policy actively reflects the reality that 70% of the certification costs for eco-friendly agricultural products are supported by basic local governments with weak financial independence.

Projects related to eco-friendly agricultural product certification have been supporting actual certification expenses such as fees, soil testing, water quality, and residual pesticide inspections. The cost for this certification is about 800,000 KRW per case.

Support details vary by metropolitan local government, but in the case of Jeonnam Province, the cost-sharing is 10% self-payment, 20% provincial funds, and 70% basic local government support.

Preliminary candidate Kim Byung-won said, “Through discussions at the National Assembly level, we will find a way to reduce the support ratio of local governments for eco-friendly agricultural product certification fees and expand national funding support,” adding, “If this measure is effectively implemented, it is expected to reduce the burden on farmers and greatly expand the foundation of eco-friendly agriculture.”

He continued, “Even in European countries with the longest history of eco-friendly certification, the purity of the final product is guaranteed by evaluating the production process of agriculture and livestock,” emphasizing, “We need to shift to a certification system that values the process, such as farm management methods, producer qualifications, biodiversity, and soil fertility improvement, rather than certification results relying on pesticide inspections.”

He also promised, “We will reduce unnecessary costs involved in certification and establish a support system for a ‘participatory certification system’ where producers and consumers participate together in management and inspection, leading efforts to restore consumer trust.”

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