To avoid concerns about origin washing, Chang Chia-chun insists 'raw material origin labeling' for agricultural products must be legalized

Legislator Chang Chia-chun is pushing for amendments to Taiwan's Food Sanitation Management Act to mandate the "labeling of origin" for raw materials in agricultural products. This legislative effort aims to combat the practice of "origin washing," where imported goods are deceptively labeled as Taiwanese, thereby misleading consumers and unfairly disadvantaging local farmers.

Chang's proposed revisions specify that the origin labeling should be based on the top three raw materials by "charging weight" during manufacturing. Furthermore, if a product's name, label, or claims involve specific agricultural, fishery, or livestock ingredients, and the product actually contains those ingredients, their country of origin must be declared. This measure seeks to prevent businesses from circumventing regulations by manipulating ingredient proportions.

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The purpose of clearly defining in the parent law that the raw materials of the main ingredients of agricultural products should be labeled with their origin (country) is to give the Food and Drug Administration a sharp sword, so that when setting labeling standards in the future, it can require businesses to disclose true information.

Chang emphasizes that clearly defining the requirement for origin labeling in the parent law will empower the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to demand truthful information from businesses when setting labeling standards. She stated that the amendment aims to provide the FDA with a "sharp sword" to ensure transparency.

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The purpose of promoting this amendment is not to increase industry confrontation, nor to restrict businesses from using imported raw materials, but to build consumer trust, protect the rights of local farmers, and consider the industry's executability.

Discussions with consumer protection groups and agricultural stakeholders have informed the proposed changes. Chang highlighted that the amendments consider practical enforcement by administrative agencies and the need to protect both consumer and farmer rights. She noted that similar raw material origin labeling systems are already in place in developed countries like the European Union and Japan.

The legislator stressed that the amendment is not intended to create conflict with the industry or restrict the use of imported raw materials. Instead, it seeks to build consumer trust, ensure fair treatment for Taiwanese farmers, and foster the healthy development of the food industry under transparent rules. The ultimate goal, Chang concluded, is to allow consumers to purchase with confidence, ensure Taiwanese farmers receive equitable treatment, and promote the sound growth of the food industry within a transparent regulatory framework.

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Let consumers buy with peace of mind, let Taiwanese farmers receive fair treatment, and let the food industry develop healthily under transparent rules. This is the most important purpose of amending the Food Safety Law.