Lawmakers urge disaster relief regulation changes

Democratic Progressive Party lawmakers urged the Ministry of Agriculture to revise agricultural disaster relief regulations in response to increasing agricultural losses due to extreme weather. They attributed crop damage seemingly caused by pests, diseases, or wildlife intrusions to abnormal weather. Legislator Chung Chia-pin called on the ministry to establish an agricultural insurance system to help agricultural workers transfer the risk of climate change-related losses. Farmers in various counties, including Pingtung and Changhua, have seen severe crop losses due to intrusions by wildlife and pest infestations. The Ministry of Agriculture's Farmers' Service Department Director Chen Yi-jen said expert meetings could be held to explore disaster relief eligibility if extreme weather-induced pest infestation led to crop losses. The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency is exploring the feasibility of developing an insurance policy for wildlife-induced damage.