Shredding Support and Publicity to Be Strengthened from March 1 to 7
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced on March 1 that it will operate the "National Agricultural By-products Shredding Week" from the 1st to the 7th of this month, in cooperation with the Rural Development Administration, the Korea Forest Service, local governments, and other agencies.
This intensive shredding week has been organized in line with the spring forest fire prevention period. It aims to preemptively block the burning of agricultural by-products on farms and to promote a culture of safe disposal of these materials.
An official from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs stated, "Although the risk of forest fires remains high due to recent dry weather and strong winds, the proportion of forest fires caused by agricultural by-products in February this year was 4%, down from the average of 10% between 2016 and 2025." The official added, "However, burning in areas adjacent to forests still poses a risk of large-scale wildfires, so the entire agricultural sector will work together to intensify support for shredding and on-site publicity."
To begin with, the Ministry will collaborate with local governments, regional branches of the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation, forestry cooperatives, and agricultural organizations to encourage participation in by-product shredding and to discourage burning near forests. This will be communicated through village broadcasts, text messages, and internal communication channels.
During the shredding week, the Ministry and local governments plan to ensure that regional agricultural equipment rental centers have an adequate supply of shredders tailored to the needs of each area. The National Agricultural Cooperative Federation will subsidize part of the cost when local agricultural or livestock cooperatives purchase shredders for free rental, and additionally provide partial support for consumables and maintenance to enhance practical use on the ground.
In addition, villages that conduct joint shredding operations with the Agricultural By-product Shredding Support Team will be able to rent shredders from agricultural equipment rental centers and local agricultural cooperatives free of charge.
The Rural Development Administration will focus its efforts on supporting shredding operations during the spring forest fire prevention period (January to May), prioritizing vulnerable and small-scale farms such as those run by elderly farmers. Support will continue even after the designated shredding week. Furthermore, safety training for shredding operators will be strengthened to ensure comprehensive safety management during operations.
The Korea Forest Service will deploy its fire prevention personnel to support the shredding of agricultural by-products for vulnerable farms, such as those run by the elderly, as long as it does not interfere with wildfire suppression. For farms that voluntarily wish to shred by-products, indirect support will be provided, including free rental of shredders and transportation assistance.
Additionally, regional branches of the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation and forestry cooperatives nationwide will encourage participation of their staff in collecting and shredding agricultural by-products. They also plan to promote on-site utilization by providing free rental of their equipment and transportation support.
Minister Song Mireyong of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs stated, "Burning agricultural by-products is an extremely dangerous act that can lead to large-scale wildfires even from minor negligence. No form of agricultural by-product burning, including the burning of rice paddy banks and field edges, should be conducted." She urged, "Farmers and local communities should actively participate in the safe shredding and disposal of agricultural by-products."
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