1. Reason for enactment
As many changes are found in the overall livestock product distribution environment, such as changes in livestock product consumption trends and spread of new distribution channels, but there are such problems as a weak institutional foundation and lack of support measures for various new businesses related to livestock product distribution, it is intended to protect producers and consumers and contribute to development of the national economy by establishing a legal basis for various new policies for the structural improvement of livestock product distribution and for the report and disclosure of livestock product prices with the establishment of a law to govern overall livestock product distribution and by establishing efficient and competitive systems for livestock product distribution with the reorganization of the Korea Institute for Animal Products Quality Evaluation to the Korea Livestock Promotion Agency.
2. Main contents
A. Establishment of master plan and implementation plan for livestock product distribution development, etc. (Articles 5 to 7 of the Draft)
The Minister of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs shall establish and implement a five-year master plan for livestock product distribution development and an annual livestock product distribution development implementation plan in order to establish an efficient, competitive distribution system, and mayors and provincial governors shall establish and implement regional livestock product distribution development implementation plans in accordance with the master plan for livestock product distribution development and the annual livestock product distribution development implementation plan.
B. Implementation of livestock product distribution informatization project (Article 8 of the Draft)
The Minister of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs may implement livestock product distribution informatization projects through methods such as establishing a comprehensive information system related to livestock product distribution and a system for electronic transactions, in order to improve the efficiency of the livestock product distribution system and activate electronic transactions.
C. Change of the name and expansion of scope of work of the Korea Institute for Animal Products Quality Evaluation (Article 10 of the Draft)
The Korea Institute for Animal Products Quality Evaluation under the Livestock Industry Act was reorganized into the Korea Livestock Distribution Agency to carry out surveys, research, education, PR projects, consultation, and support related to livestock product distribution in addition to existing livestock product grading work, and the scope of work is expanded to public institutions related to livestock product distribution.
D. Cultivation of professional personnel related to livestock product distribution (Article 13 of the Draft)
In order to cultivate professional manpower related to livestock product distribution, the Minister of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs intends to provide education and training to strengthen the capabilities of professional manpower engaged in the livestock product distribution industry and education and training to promote employment and startup for those wishing to engage in the livestock product distribution industry.
E. Implementation of the livestock product distribution structure improvement project (Article 14 of the Draft)
In order to make livestock product distribution efficient and to strengthen the competitiveness, the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs may carry out education and PR projects for repair and modernization of livestock product distribution facilities, projects to construct and activate direct and online livestock product transaction systems, and livestock product distribution structure improvement.
F. Reporting and disclosure of livestock product transaction prices (Article 15 of the Draft)
If it is recognized that the transaction price of livestock products through auction hardly represents the market situation, meat packaging and processing businessmen of a certain size or larger may be required to report the transaction prices of livestock products, and the Minister of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs may disclosure the reported transaction prices of livestock products to the extent that such disclosure does not infringe trade secrets.
