Agriculture ministry sets rules for Hanwoo farm support

Rules will put a new law on the Hanwoo industry into operation to promote the sector's sound development and stabilize farm management.

Large and medium-sized companies, along with affiliates of corporate groups subject to disclosure requirements, must prepare cooperation plans covering low-carbon farming, forage production and coexistence with existing Hanwoo farms before joining Hanwoo production.

"We will work to strengthen the Hanwoo industry's competitiveness and stabilize Hanwoo farm management by continuously communicating with farmers and reflecting voices from the field in policy," Lee Jae-sik, the agriculture ministry's livestock policy director, said.

Support will include incentives for farmers who slaughter and ship Hanwoo aged at least 20 months during periods designated by the minister, provided official livestock records confirm the slaughter and shipment. Management-improvement funds will target farms whose income from Hanwoo production or rearing has fallen from the previous year and that lack sufficient financial assets to repay borrowing.

Farmers seeking slaughter and shipment incentives must apply during periods set by the minister, who will confirm whether they qualify and determine payment amounts. Applicants for management-improvement funds must submit an improvement plan and required documents, with the ministry reviewing the plan's specificity and feasibility before deciding support and amounts.

The agriculture ministry will create comprehensive industry plans every five years using surveys and statistics, with annual implementation plans published online. Comprehensive plans must be prepared by June 30 of the year before a new five-year period begins, while annual plans are due by Nov. 30 of the preceding year and require review by the Hanwoo Industry Development Council.

The ministry said it will immediately form the council and establish activation criteria for a calf-production stability support program.