Yeongam County to Conduct Comprehensive Protein Testing on Organic Rice: "Enhancing Taste and Quality"

Proactive Measures Taken Ahead of the 2027 Revised Grain Management Act

Yeongam County is holding a meeting to support organic rice production subsidies and is actively improving quality control. Photo by Yeongam County

Yeongam County in South Jeolla Province will conduct comprehensive protein content testing to dramatically improve the quality of local organic rice, including "Dalmajissal Gold."

This measure is drawing attention as a proactive step to implement the revised Grain Management Act, which is scheduled to take effect in 2027.

On August 5, the county held a meeting to support organic rice production subsidies at Dalbit Cheongchun Maru in Yeongam-eup, bringing together organic rice farmers, the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation (Nonghyup), and agricultural organizations. At the meeting, the county decided to fully implement a quality control system based on protein testing starting with this year's harvest.

During the meeting, participants agreed that the 2024 production subsidy would be paid as usual, and that from the 2025 harvest, a quality-focused support system would be introduced, with differentiated payments based on protein content. In addition, it was decided that all organic rice to be purchased starting around November this year would undergo comprehensive protein content testing.

This is a proactive response to the revised Grain Management Act, which will require rice products to display protein content starting in 2027. In particular, since lower protein content is considered a key indicator of high-quality rice, and both distribution markets and major buyers have been requesting this information, the county is taking steps to meet these demands.

To this end, the county plans to purchase and install a protein analyzer at the Agricultural Machinery Rental Center of the Agricultural Technology Center. By allowing any farmer to use the analyzer and manage quality independently, the county aims to raise the overall quality level of its rice.

Additionally, the county will pilot protein analysis for conventional rice farms as well as organic farms, and will strengthen related publicity and education efforts to spread a culture of voluntary quality management.

Kim Jundoo, head of Yeongam County’s Agricultural Policy Division, stated, "This measure is an initiative to proactively respond to the revised system by reflecting the opinions of those in the agricultural field. We will scientifically prove the taste and quality of Yeongam rice to enhance its market competitiveness and actively support farmers’ participation in quality improvement."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.