Taiwan: Taiwan Upgrades Council of Agriculture to Ministry of Agriculture

On August 1, 2023, Taiwan’s Council of Agriculture (COA) was transformed into the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA). MOA’s total workforce plans to increase from about 4,770 to 5,300 staff, and the administrative budget is expected to rise by TWD 8.3 billion (USD $260 million) to a total annual budget of TWD 158.9 billion (USD $5 billion). The key organizational changes are the creation of the Department of Animal Welfare and Department of Resource Sustainability and Utilization in MOA headquarters, and two affiliated agencies, Forestry Bureau and Soil and Water Conservation Bureau.