Food Security Law of the People’s Republic of China — Full English Translation (2023)

Adopted at the 5th Meeting of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress on December 29, 2023

Effective: June 1, 2024

Table of Contents

Chapter I — General Provisions

Article 1 — This Law is enacted in accordance with the Constitution in order to safeguard national food security, ensure the effective supply of grain, prevent and resolve food security risks, protect the lawful rights and interests of grain producers and consumers, and maintain national security.

Article 2 — This Law applies to the work relating to grain production, reserves, circulation, processing, emergency response, and conservation, as well as the supervision and administration thereof. Grain as referred to in this Law includes wheat, rice, corn, soybeans, and miscellaneous grains, as well as their finished grain products such as flour, rice, and coarse grain flour. The specific types of grain shall be provided for in the grain catalogue formulated by the departments in charge of grain and reserve under the State Council and shall be published and implemented upon approval by the State Council.

Article 3 — The State adheres to the principle of basing grain supply on domestic production, ensuring basic self-sufficiency and absolute security of staple foods. The State shall establish a sound system of mechanisms for safeguarding food security and enhance the capacity for guaranteeing national food security.

Article 4 — The State shall implement the strictest protection system for arable land, stabilize the area of arable land, and safeguard the quantity and quality of arable land. The State shall improve the system for the overall planning and administration of land use and strictly control the conversion of arable land into construction land or other types of land.

Article 5 — The people’s governments at all levels shall strengthen leadership over food security work, fulfill their responsibilities for food security, and incorporate food security work into their plans for national economic and social development. The State shall establish a food security responsibility system and conduct assessments and evaluations thereof.

Chapter II — Protection of Arable Land

Article 6 — The State shall implement a system for the protection of arable land, delimiting permanent basic cropland and implementing special protection therefor. Permanent basic cropland shall be demarcated on the basis of the quality of arable land and shall mainly be used for grain production.

Article 7 — The people’s governments at all levels shall strictly restrict the conversion of arable land into land for construction and strictly control the occupation of arable land by non-agricultural construction activities. Where arable land is occupied with approval in accordance with the law, land of equivalent quantity and quality shall be reclaimed, or fees for land reclamation shall be paid as required.

Article 8 — The State shall encourage and support the improvement of soil fertility, the building of high-standard cropland, and the development of water-saving agriculture, so as to enhance the comprehensive production capacity for grain. The State shall protect the ecological environment of grain production areas and prevent soil contamination.

Article 9 — The transfer of land management rights shall not change the nature of the ownership of the land, shall not change the designated use of the land, and shall not harm the comprehensive production capacity for grain.

Chapter III — Grain Production

Article 10 — The State shall formulate and implement a grain production development plan, maintain a stable sown area and output of grain, and optimize the structure of grain varieties and the regional distribution of grain production. The State shall establish functional zones for grain production and protected areas for the production of major agricultural products.

Article 11 — The State shall improve the support and protection system for grain production, implement policies on minimum grain purchase prices, subsidies for grain producers, and subsidies for the protection of arable land fertility, so as to protect the enthusiasm of the primary grain-producing areas and grain producers in grain cultivation.

Article 12 — The State shall strengthen scientific and technological innovation in grain production, promote improved varieties and methods, accelerate the innovation and application of core technologies in the seed industry, and enhance the mechanization and informatization of grain production. The State shall improve the system for preventing and mitigating disasters in grain production and the monitoring and early warning system for major pests and diseases.

Article 13 — The State shall encourage and guide social capital to invest in grain production, develop moderate-scale operations, and enhance the specialization and intensification of grain production. Agricultural enterprises, specialized farmer cooperatives, and family farms that engage in grain production shall enjoy the State’s support policies for grain production in accordance with the law.

Chapter IV — Grain Reserve

Article 14 — The State shall establish a grain reserve system, consisting of central grain reserves and local grain reserves, to regulate grain supply and stabilize the grain market. The scale, structure, and distribution of grain reserves shall be determined reasonably based on factors such as the population size, grain production, and consumption levels.

Article 15 — Central grain reserves shall be administered by the departments in charge of grain and reserve under the State Council. The grain stored in central grain reserves shall meet quality standards, and its quantity shall be true and accurate. Local grain reserves shall be established by the local people’s governments at or above the county level, on a scale determined by the people’s governments at or above the provincial level.

Article 16 — The State shall encourage grain operators to establish commercial grain reserves. Grain operators shall, in accordance with the provisions of the State, maintain necessary grain inventories and fulfill their obligations in grain stockpiling.

Chapter V — Grain Circulation

Article 17 — The State shall establish a unified, open, competitive, and orderly grain market system. Grain operators may engage in grain purchase, storage, transportation, processing, wholesale, retail, import, and export activities in accordance with the law.

Article 18 — The State shall encourage the development of a modern grain circulation network, the building of grain logistics infrastructure, and the enhancement of grain circulation efficiency. The State shall encourage the use of electronic trading platforms and other modern methods for grain transactions.

Article 19 — The State shall implement a system for regulating grain imports and exports and may, in accordance with needs, impose export controls on grain. The relevant departments shall, in accordance with their respective duties, strengthen the regulation and administration of grain imports and exports.

Chapter VI — Grain Processing

Article 20 — The State shall encourage grain processing enterprises to carry out deep processing of grain, develop a diversified grain-based economy, and increase the added value of grain products. Grain processing activities shall comply with the provisions of laws and regulations on food safety and shall not harm the health of the people.

Article 21 — The State shall maintain a reasonable total scale of grain processing capacity, optimize the regional distribution of grain processing, and promote centralized and large-scale grain processing. Grain processing enterprises shall strictly control the processing precision of grain, increase the yield of grain products, and prevent food waste.

Chapter VII — Food Emergency Response

Article 22 — The State shall establish a grain emergency response mechanism. Under special circumstances where there is a significant fluctuation in the grain market or an abnormality in grain supply, the State may, in accordance with the law, implement emergency measures such as regulating grain market supply, imposing grain price caps, restricting grain exports, and granting subsidies to grain consumers.

Article 23 — The State shall establish a grain emergency supply network, designate grain emergency processing enterprises, grain emergency storage enterprises, and grain emergency distribution outlets, so as to ensure grain supply under emergency conditions. The relevant enterprises shall fulfill their obligations in grain emergency response.

Article 24 — The State shall establish a grain safety monitoring and early warning system, monitor trends in grain market prices and supply and demand dynamics, analyze and assess food security risks, and issue early warnings on a timely basis.

Chapter VIII — Grain Conservation

Article 25 — The State shall promote the conservation of grain throughout the entire chain of grain production, storage, transportation, processing, and consumption. Grain operators shall adopt measures to reduce grain losses and waste. Catering service operators and consumers shall advocate and practice thrift, economizing on the use of grain and opposing waste.

Article 26 — The State shall encourage the research, development, and application of technologies, processes, and equipment for grain conservation and the reduction of grain losses. Grain storage enterprises shall adopt scientific grain storage technologies to reduce losses due to storage.

Chapter IX — Legal Liability

Article 27 — Where a relevant state organ or its functionaries, in violation of the provisions of this Law, abuse their powers, neglect their duties, or engage in malpractices for personal gain, the directly responsible person in charge and other directly responsible persons shall be subject to sanctions in accordance with the law.

Article 28 — Where a grain operator violates the provisions of this Law, the relevant competent departments shall order the operator to make corrections and may impose a fine in accordance with the law; where the case constitutes a crime, criminal liability shall be pursued in accordance with the law. Where a grain operator violates the provisions of the State on grain reserves, such as by failing to report grain reserve data truthfully, misappropriating grain reserve funds, or selling grain reserves without authorization, the relevant competent departments shall impose sanctions in accordance with their respective duties. Where losses are caused to the State, the operator shall be liable for compensation in accordance with the law.

Article 29 — Where any entity or individual, in violation of the provisions of this Law, illegally occupies arable land or damages grain production facilities and the circumstances are serious, sanctions shall be imposed in accordance with the provisions of the relevant laws and administrative regulations.

Chapter X — Supplementary Provisions

Article 30 — The State Council shall formulate specific measures for the implementation of this Law in accordance with this Law.

Article 31 — This Law shall come into force on June 1, 2024.