Adopted at the Seventh Session of the Standing Committee of the Fourteenth National People’s Congress on December 29, 2023
Effective: June 1, 2024
Table of Contents
- Chapter I — General Provisions
- Chapter II — Protection of Arable Land
- Chapter III — Grain Production
- Chapter IV — Grain Reserves
- Chapter V — Grain Circulation
- Chapter VI — Grain Processing
- Chapter VII — Food Emergency Response
- Chapter VIII — Grain Conservation
- Chapter IX — Supervision and Administration
- Chapter X — Legal Liability
- Chapter XI — Supplementary Provisions
Chapter I — General Provisions
Article 1 — This Law is enacted for the purpose of ensuring the effective supply of food, ensuring national food security, improving the ability to withstand food security risks, and safeguarding economic and social development and national security.
Article 2 — The term “food” as used in this Law refers to grain and its processed products used for human consumption, including wheat, rice, corn, soybeans, coarse grains, and other grains and their processed products. The term “food security” as used in this Law refers to the state’s ability to ensure that food is available, accessible, and affordable at all times.
Article 3 — The state shall implement a food security responsibility system. The people’s governments of provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government shall assume overall responsibility for food security within their respective administrative areas.
Article 4 — The state shall establish a food security guarantee mechanism led by the government, involving diverse participants, and combining market regulation with government coordination. The state shall encourage and support the participation of all sectors of society in food security work.
Chapter II — Protection of Arable Land
Article 5 — The state shall implement a system of protecting arable land. People’s governments at or above the county level shall ensure that the quantity of arable land within their respective administrative areas does not decrease and its quality does not deteriorate. The conversion of arable land to non-agricultural use shall be strictly controlled.
Article 6 — The state shall implement a system of permanent basic farmland protection. Arable land designated as permanent basic farmland shall be protected in accordance with the law and shall not be converted to other uses without authorization.
Article 7 — The state shall encourage the prevention and control of arable land pollution and the restoration of contaminated arable land. It is prohibited to discharge or dump toxic and hazardous substances onto arable land.
Chapter III — Grain Production
Article 8 — The state shall implement a grain production support and protection system. The state shall increase investment in grain production, improve agricultural infrastructure, promote agricultural science and technology innovation, and enhance comprehensive grain production capacity.
Article 9 — The state shall protect the enthusiasm of grain-producing areas and grain farmers. The state shall improve the price formation mechanism for grain, the agricultural subsidy system, and the agricultural insurance system to ensure that grain farmers achieve reasonable returns.
Article 10 — The state shall promote the development of modern seed industry, strengthen the protection and utilization of germplasm resources, and support the research, development, and promotion of improved varieties of grain crops.
Chapter IV — Grain Reserves
Article 11 — The state shall establish a grain reserve system comprising central grain reserves and local grain reserves. The scale, layout, and variety structure of grain reserves shall be rationally determined to ensure that they meet the needs of national food security.
Article 12 — Grain reserve enterprises shall ensure the quantity of grain in storage is accurate, the quality is good, and the storage is safe. Unauthorized misappropriation, replacement, or sale of reserved grain is prohibited.
Article 13 — The state shall encourage and guide grain business enterprises and grain farmers to establish commercial grain reserves as a supplement to the government grain reserve system.
Chapter V — Grain Circulation
Article 14 — The state shall establish a grain market circulation system characterized by multiple ownership forms, multiple circulation channels, and multiple business methods, with fair competition and orderly transactions.
Article 15 — Business entities engaged in grain purchasing shall comply with state regulations on grain purchasing. They shall purchase grain based on quality and price and shall not depress prices or otherwise harm the interests of grain farmers.
Article 16 — The state shall strengthen the construction of grain circulation infrastructure, improve the grain logistics network, and enhance grain circulation efficiency.
Article 17 — The state shall implement a grain import and export management system to maintain a dynamic balance between domestic grain supply and demand. The import and export of grain shall comply with the relevant provisions of the state.
Chapter VI — Grain Processing
Article 18 — The state shall encourage and support the development of the grain processing industry, extend the industrial chain, and enhance the added value of grain products. The state shall guide rational grain consumption, promote scientific grain processing technologies, and reduce grain processing losses.
Article 19 — Grain processors shall comply with food safety laws, regulations, and standards, and shall not use grain that does not meet food safety standards as raw materials for food processing.
Chapter VII — Food Emergency Response
Article 20 — The state shall establish a food emergency response system. The State Council and local people’s governments shall formulate food emergency response plans and organize regular drills.
Article 21 — When there is a significant fluctuation in the grain market, or an emergency such as a natural disaster, accident, or public health event affecting food security, the state may adopt emergency control measures such as price intervention and restriction of grain exports.
Article 22 — Market entities such as grain business enterprises and grain processors shall comply with state regulations on food emergency response and shall not hoard grain, bid up prices, or engage in other illegal activities.
Chapter VIII — Grain Conservation
Article 23 — The state shall implement a grain conservation policy. All sectors of society shall enhance their awareness of grain conservation and consciously conserve grain. The state shall promote grain conservation technologies and reduce losses in grain production, storage, transportation, and processing.
Article 24 — Catering service providers and entities with canteens shall take measures to prevent food waste. Individuals shall cultivate the habit of conservation and reduce food waste.
Chapter IX — Supervision and Administration
Article 25 — The relevant departments under the State Council shall, in accordance with their respective functions and duties, exercise supervision and administration over food security. Local people’s governments at or above the county level shall organize and coordinate food security supervision and administration within their respective administrative areas.
Article 26 — People’s governments at or above the county level shall establish a food security monitoring and early warning system, and shall timely collect, analyze, and disseminate information on food security.
Article 27 — The state shall implement a food security assessment and evaluation system. Food security shall be included in the performance evaluation of local people’s governments and their responsible persons.
Chapter X — Legal Liability
Article 28 — Where a local people’s government or any of its departments fails to perform its food security duties in accordance with the provisions of this Law, the people’s government at a higher level or the relevant department shall order it to rectify the situation and shall impose sanctions on the directly responsible person in charge and other directly responsible persons in accordance with the law.
Article 29 — Where a grain business enterprise violates the provisions of this Law by misappropriating, replacing, or selling government reserved grain without authorization, the relevant department shall order it to rectify the situation, confiscate the illegal proceeds, and impose a fine. Where the circumstances are serious, its grain business qualification shall be revoked.
Article 30 — Where an entity or individual, in violation of the provisions of this Law, destroys arable land, pollutes arable land, or otherwise causes damage to arable land, the relevant department shall impose penalties in accordance with the provisions of the Land Management Law, the Soil Pollution Prevention and Control Law, and other relevant laws.
Article 31 — Where a grain processor uses grain that does not meet food safety standards as raw materials, the food safety supervision and administration department shall impose penalties in accordance with the provisions of the Food Safety Law.
Article 32 — Where an entity or individual, in violation of the provisions of this Law, hoards grain, bids up prices, or engages in other illegal activities during a food emergency, the market regulation authority shall order it or him or her to rectify the situation, confiscate the illegal proceeds, and impose a fine.
Chapter XI — Supplementary Provisions
Article 33 — The provisions of this Law shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the security of edible vegetable oils and oilseeds.
Article 34 — This Law shall come into effect on June 1, 2024.
Disclaimer: This is an unofficial English translation prepared for reference and informational purposes only. It is not an official translation and has no legal effect. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, the Chinese original text shall prevail in the event of any discrepancy. This translation is provided without warranty of any kind, express or implied. Users should consult qualified legal professionals in China for advice on specific matters. This translation does not constitute legal advice.
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