Taipei Times
Date: Apr 11, 2019
By: Lin Chia-nan  /  Staff reporter

The Council of Agriculture (COA) would consider ways to help farmers seek compensation for losses due to misinformation, in addition to levying fines on those spreading rumors, council Minister Chen Chi-chung (陳吉仲) said yesterday.

Over the past two years, the agriculture sector has faced escalating assaults in the form of misinformation spread through domestic and overseas channels, the main purpose of which is to “beat down the government,” Chen told a meeting of the legislature’s Economics Committee to combat misinformation.

A council report cited rumors that banana and pineapple prices have plunged and that African swine fever has infected the nation as examples of recurring misinformation campaigns.

The council has proposed draft amendments to the Agricultural Products Market Transaction Act (農產品市場交易法) and the Food Administration Act (糧食管理法) that would impose a fine of between NT$60,000 and NT$300,000 for spreading rumors, which have been approved by the Executive Yuan in December last year, Chen said.
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