State to Provide Subsidy for Cattle Breeder

As the government is set to resume American beef imports, it decided to provide subsidies ranging from 100,000 to 200,000 won per each cow, in order to maintain the production of premium Korean beef, called “hanwoo” in Korean.

The government will also strengthen its supervision over the country of origin of beef sold in restaurants.

The government held a consultation with the ruling Grand National Party at the National Assembly yesterday and came up with such measures.

The Korea Food & Drug Administration and local governments are allowed to supervise the country of origin of meat sold in restaurants. According to the new measures, however, the National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service (NAQS), under the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, will be given the authority to crack down on those who sell imported beef as Korean meat.

Also, the NAQS will raise the number of its staff who supervise restaurants selling meat from the current 400 to 1,000. Until now, the government has supervised restaurants larger than 300 square meters. However, the new measures allow relevant agencies to supervise restaurants bigger than 100 square meters.

In an effort to manage the quality of “hanwoo” and differentiate it from imported meat, the government will provide certifications for Korean beef and subsidies between 100,000 and 200,000 won per head for ranchers who nurture premium cattle.

The government will also track down beef so as to prevent distributors from selling imported meat as homegrown beef. To this end, farmers should register “hanwoo,” the number of which reaches two million now, by November and put earmarks on them by June next year. The killing of cattle without earmarks will be prohibited.

At the same time, the government will reflect opinions from the stock breeding industry, which urged the government to exempt ranchers from the butcher tax and increase compensation for those who slaughter the cattle infected with the brucella virus. Now a rancher gets 60 percent of the price of cattle slaughtered due to the disease. The government will increase the compensation rate to 80 percent from July.

The government will also provide subsidies for pig breeders who are likely to be affected by American beef imports. It will provide them with 100,000 won until the share of premium pork reaches 10 percent, up from the current 1 percent.

Agriculture Minister Chung Woon-chun said, “Our measure to prevent imported beef and pork to be sold as homegrown meat will help farmhouses.”

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