Is the grain subsidy in place?

Editor's note: agricultural subsidy policy plays an important role in stabilizing grain and increasing income. However, with the profound changes in the agricultural and rural situation, the effect and efficiency of the subsidy policy implemented for more than 10 years is decreasing, which urgently needs to be adjusted and improved.

In view of the current practical problems, the state has promoted the reform of agricultural subsidy policy this year, experimenting with merging the "three subsidies" of improved seed subsidies, direct subsidies for growing grain and comprehensive subsidies for agricultural materials into "agricultural support and protection subsidies." Has this new policy been implemented? What are the expectations of grass-roots cadres and masses? Please take a look at the reporter's report from the front line.

1. What do farmers look forward to?

Ordinary farmers do not object to the integration of subsidies to "make the cake bigger", but they are worried about "being cut into the cake". Large farmers hope that the subsidy policy will be more accurate and that "whoever grows more grain will give priority to supporting him".

After the wheat harvest, the corn in the fields of Huaxian County, Henan Province is lush.

"now that it's already July, why haven't the subsidies been issued this year?" On July 16, the reporter heard that many farmers had such misgivings.

According to the guidance issued by the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Agriculture in May, three subsidies will be "integrated" in the pilot this year, of which 80% of the stock of comprehensive agricultural subsidies, plus direct subsidies for growing grain and subsidies for improved varieties, will be used to protect the fertility of cultivated land. Another 20% of agricultural subsidies, plus subsidies for large grain growers and incremental funds for three subsidies, focus on supporting moderate-scale grain operation. In 2016, the reform will be rolled out nationwide.

So why haven't farmers received the subsidy yet? The responsible person explained that Henan is not a pilot province in the country this year, and the province has not yet approved the new subsidy scheme, and although the money has been put on the county account, it has not yet been issued.

The total grain output of Huaxian County ranks first in Henan Province for 20 years in a row, and it is the first county in wheat production in China. In 2014, the county's three agricultural subsidies totaled 226 million yuan. However, up to now, agricultural subsidies in the county actually reached 154 million yuan in 2015, more than 70 million yuan less than last year. "there may also be a second batch, but at least for now, many farmers do not understand and think that their subsidies have been cut away and given to the big grain growers." A grass-roots cadre said that farmers agreed to integrate other subsidy funds to "make the cake bigger" rather than being "cut."

What is the effect of agricultural subsidies? "according to last year's standards, the total amount of three subsidies per mu of land is 134 yuan." Lu Zhongmin, director of the Huaxian Agricultural Technology extension Center, said that from tax exemption to subsidies, it has played a positive role in increasing grain production and farmers' income. However, with the change of farmers' income structure, the policy effect is decreasing.

"now I go out to work and earn at least 100 yuan a day. In contrast, improved seed subsidies of 20 yuan per mu a year, just like cooking monosodium glutamate, whether to put in the capital. " Chen Jincan, a farmer in Xiaozhai Village, Liugu Town, said that he planted 8 mu of land, and the annual subsidy was enough to buy two bags of urea, which was not very useful. He wants to increase the amount of subsidies, at least "only increase, not decrease".

Can subsidies really be used in agriculture? "when farmers receive subsidies, it is hard to avoid buying vinegar with soy sauce money." Li Shouzhen, deputy general manager of Huafeng seed Industry Company, said that when there was an improved seed subsidy in 2004, the city invited a unified tender, and each county identified three or five seed enterprises. The government first supplied the enterprises, and then the enterprises sold the improved varieties to farmers at a preferential price. The coverage rate of improved varieties in the county reached more than 98%. "since 2008, subsidies for improved varieties have been transferred directly to farmers' accounts, and some people have bought daily necessities, but the coverage of improved varieties has declined."

Why is "replenishing seeds" changed to "subsidizing farmers"? Lu Zhongmin said that in order to "respect the wishes of farmers" this principle. "at that time, seed quality and safety problems occurred in some places, which was also one of the reasons for the change in the way of subsidies."

Others report that those who do not grow grain are subsidized, but those who really grow grain do not get it. Sun Danghui, director of the Ruiyang Grain planting Cooperative, said that they transferred a total of 19000 mu of land and subsidized all the farmers who had flowed out of the land. "whoever grows grain will benefit, but in fact, if the subsidy is given to us, the land rent will certainly go up." He hopes that in the future, the subsidy policy will be more accurate and truly reflect that "those who have more food will give priority to supporting them."

Do any of the big families get subsidies? This is rare, but it is true. Du Huanyong, chairman of Huanyong Farmers' Cooperative in Huaxian County, transferred 2000 mu of land, of which 700mu belonged to the village. According to the agreement, the villagers will subsidize du Huanyong, and in return, he will increase the rent from 1000 yuan per mu to 1000 jin of wheat, equivalent to an increase of more than 100 yuan. "this model is difficult to achieve in other villages, mainly because the relationship between villagers is difficult to coordinate." He is worried that if the subsidy policy is adjusted in the future, the subsidies will be transferred directly to the farmers' accounts, and the subsidies for improved varieties won before will definitely not be available.

two。 What are cadres looking forward to?

In the past, the process of granting subsidies was long, and a subsidy for improved varieties took three months. Looking forward to optimizing procedures, improving efficiency and reducing administrative costs

Grass-roots cadres are also looking forward to the reform of agricultural subsidies.

In Huaxian County, the past three subsidy departments are different and the basis is also different. According to reports, comprehensive subsidies for agricultural materials and direct subsidies for growing grain are the responsibility of the county finance bureau and are distributed according to the taxable area of agricultural tax. as the number of mu and amount per year are roughly fixed, they are arranged to be issued at the beginning of the year and can be delivered to households within two months. However, the subsidy for improved varieties is based on the actual planting area, which is responsible for by the county finance bureau, county agriculture bureau and township. It takes nearly 3 months from reporting, counting and verifying the area to the subsidy to the account.

Ziya, head of the Agriculture Section of Huaxian County Finance Bureau, introduced in detail the distribution process of improved seed subsidies:

First, the county finance bureau and the agriculture bureau will formulate the plan, and then the townships and villages will be responsible for statistics and publicity. This process will take more than half a month. Then, the village committee collected the report, examined and approved by the township government, the county agricultural bureau conducted a spot check, and then the county finance bureau allocated the subsidy funds to the credit union, and finally into the farmers' account, which will take another month or two.

Lu Lin, deputy mayor of Baidaokou Town, said frankly that the workload at the grass-roots level is very large. There are 300000 farmers in the town who enjoy the subsidy for improved varieties. The name, identity card number, account, and number of mu of the applicant should be entered into the computer. After checking and printing, the applicant will sign, confirm, and publicize. "sometimes when banks hand out money, they find that the numbers and names are wrong, and they can't type the money, so we have to check them one by one." Lu Lin said that for the payment of subsidies, there is no special funds, and all expenses such as printing and consumables are co-ordinated by villages and towns.

In order to reduce the workload, Huaxian County merged the subsidies for improved varieties in summer and autumn into one payment. For example, the subsidy for improved varieties last year was paid in December last year and did not end until March this year. "in fact, no matter what the name is, no matter how many times they send it, they only care about how much money they can get a mu of land a year." Chen Jincan said.

Grass-roots cadres regard the reform of subsidizing the "three-in-one" as a kind of progress, which can reduce procedures, reduce administrative costs, and improve work efficiency. However, there are still many difficulties in putting the new subsidy policy on the ground:

First, the integration of the functions of relevant departments. "in the past, subsidies belonged to different departments. In the future, the agricultural department will be responsible for counting and verifying the land area, and the financial department will be responsible for issuing subsidies. How to optimize the program and how to share the data have never been encountered before. " A grass-roots cadre said.

The second is the area of land. In the past, direct subsidies for growing grain and agricultural materials subsidies were issued according to the taxable area of agricultural tax. in reality, they are quite different from the planting area. "the agricultural taxable area of Huaxian County is 1.59 million mu, while the actual planting area of wheat is 1.78 million mu. This is because some wasteland and thin land have been transformed, which were not included in the taxable area, but have now become arable land. " Ziya said.

The data of Baidaokou Town are particularly different: direct subsidies for growing grain and agricultural subsidies are distributed on the basis of 68000 mu, while the actual planting area is 128000 mu. "in recent years, the Baimapo renovation project has turned nearly 60,000 mu of saline-alkali land into arable land." Lu Lin said: if we can speed up the pace of confirming land rights, we can avoid counting and checking the area of land every year, and reduce administrative costs.

3. How to give full play to the effectiveness of the policy?

With the integration of funds to do major things, the overall planning of the county can pry 5 murals and 6 times the loan to support more large grain growers.

"in fact, some subsidy policies are difficult to implement and there is a need for integration." A grass-roots cadre reflected that, for example, the subsidy for "one spray and three prevention" of wheat is for the prevention and control of wheat diseases and insect pests and dry and hot wind, with an average subsidy of 4.5 yuan per mu. In theory, if subsidies are allocated in mid-April every year, it will be just in time for pest control. However, sometimes the allocation of funds lags behind, and the money is close to wheat harvest when the money is in place, so it is difficult to play its due role.

He believes that although the subsidy for "one spray and three prevention" per mu is small, in combination, the county alone has more than 8.5 million yuan a year, which can be used for the unified control of diseases and insect pests and can do some great things.

With regard to the reform of agricultural subsidies, Yu Tongqin, a major grain grower who has transferred 2000 mu of land, believes that the key is to see how to maximize the benefits of subsidies. He said that farmers who have flowed out of their land believe that 20% of the comprehensive agricultural subsidies to large households will cause contradictions. "this part of the money is directly given to large households, and dozens of yuan per mu of land may not be able to play a big role. In contrast, it is of greater significance if we can win funds for infrastructure projects such as demonstration transformation and modern agriculture for large households. "

According to the newly issued guidelines, agricultural subsidy funds can provide credit guarantee for loans from grain operators on an appropriate scale. So, will the money be co-ordinated at the county level or at the provincial level?

"if it is co-ordinated at the provincial level, it will be difficult to operate. Just verifying the loan qualification of large grain growers requires a great deal of work. " Local cadres suggested that the above can increase decentralization efforts, the transfer of 20% of the comprehensive agricultural subsidies back to the county, the county to choose banks for cooperation, provide credit guarantee, can pry 5 Mel 6 times loans to support large grain growers.

It is estimated that according to the comprehensive direct subsidy of 150 million yuan for agricultural materials in Huaxian County in 2014, 20% is more than 30 million yuan. If the funds are returned to the county, the loan scale of 180 million yuan can be leveraged. According to the loan of 300000-1 million yuan per family, it can support more than 100 farmers' cooperatives and major grain growers.