1. Taiwan Agriculture Ministry Tightens Controls After Pingtung Firm Found Using Dead Pigs' Organs

Taiwan's Agriculture Ministry said it has stepped up inspections of slaughterhouses and rendering plants after media reported that a Pingtung food company used industrial hydrogen peroxide to process intestines from dead pigs for sale.The ministry said veterinarians are stationed at all slaughterhouses to inspect carcasses. Unfit meat or organs are marked with blue dye and sent to licensed rendering plants in GPS-tracked vehicles, with shipments verified under surveillance.The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency has ordered tighter checks to prevent illegal reuse of condemned pork.The Food and Drug Administration said using industrial chemicals in food processing violates the Food Safety and Sanitation Act and is punishable by up to seven years in prison and an NT$80 million fine.The ministry condemned the illegal practice, saying it harms consumers and damages the reputation of Taiwan’s pig industry.

2. Taiwan's Agriculture Agency Launches Aid Program to Help Hualien Farmers Rebuild After Typhoon Damage

Taiwan's Agriculture and Food Agency (AFA) has launched a recovery program to help farmers in Hualien County rebuild after Typhoon Koinu brought torrential rains in September, causing the Mataian Creek landslide dam to overflow and damaging farmland in Guangfu Township. The program offers subsidies for replanting fruit trees, rebuilding greenhouses, repairing farm machinery and processing facilities, and restoring logistics equipment to stabilize the agricultural supply chain. The AFA said the government will keep allocating resources and streamline applications to ensure aid reaches farmers quickly. It urged affected farmers to contact local farmers’ associations for assistance, adding that central and local governments will work together to help rural communities recover.