| Content： |
Chapter I General provisions Article 1:
A farmers association shall operate for such purposes as safeguarding farmers’ rights and interests, enhancing farmers’ knowledge and skills, boosting the modernization of agriculture, increasing crop yields, improving farmers’ livelihood and developing rural economy. Article 2:
A farmers association is a judicial person. Article 3:
The competent authorities over farmers associations are the Council of Agriculture under the Executive Yuan at the central level, municipal governments at the municipal level, and county（city）governments at the county（city）level. Chapter II Duties Article 4:
A farmers association is authorized with the following duties:
1. Safeguarding farmers’ rights and interests, disseminating
farming-related laws and regulations and mediating farming-
related disputes;
2. Rendering assistance in improvement of land and farm water
conservancy, soil and water conservation and forest planting;
3. Promoting superior seeds and fertilizers;
4. Rendering instruction and demonstration of farming production,
propagating superior species, and enhancing the management of
professional farming zones;
5. Handling affairs regarding awards, aids and subsidies
encouraging agricultural extension, training and farming
production;
6. Implementing and boosting affairs regarding farming
mechanization and labor efficiency;
7. Rendering guidance and assistance and implementing affairs
regarding joint operations, commissioned operations, family
farm development and custom farming;
8. Marketing, transporting, warehousing, processing, manufacturing,
exporting and importing agricultural and livestock products, and
operating and managing related wholesale and retail-sale markets;
9. Importing, exporting, processing, manufacturing, allocating and
selling materials for farming production, and supplying and
marketing daily necessities to member farmers;
10. Operating farm warehouses and businesses for member farmers’
common utilization;
11. Operating financial businesses for member farmers;
12. Accepting commissioned requests to handle farming insurance
business;
13. Accepting commissioned requests to assist farmers in
insurance affairs and farm house constructions;
14. Boosting rural cooperation and social service businesses;
15. Promoting rural side lines and industries;
16. Promoting rural culture, medical and health services,
welfare and relief aids;
17. Improving farmland utilization;
18. Preventing, control and remedying agricultural disasters;
19. Acting on behalf of government treasury and accept
commissioned requests from government agencies or
public/private groups to handle related affairs;
20. Operating agricultural travel and rural recreation
businesses;
21. Handling affairs as specially approved by the competent
authorities.
The tax-exemption on the above-mentioned businesses handled by a farmers association shall be subject to relevant provisions set forth in the Agriculture Development Statute and the Cooperative Law. Tax-exemption coverage in this regard shall be regulated by the Executive Yuan.
A farmers association shall enter duties as provided in Section 1 into its annual plans.
Article 5:
Farmers associations at any level wishing to carry out any aforementioned business may, subject to approval by the competent authorities, organize a body for joint operations so as to jointly operate the business and may thereby render transactions directly with any individual member. The joint operation body is a judicial person, and the rules and regulations governing its organization and operations shall be established by the central-level competent authorities.
A farmers association, when carrying out a financial business, shall establish a credit department. The credit department, unless provided elsewhere by this Act, shall be governed by the central-level competent authorities in accordance with related rules and regulations under the Banking Act. The credit department of a farmers association, subject to approval by the central-level target-business competent authorities, may accept deposits from non-members.
The central-level target-business competent authorities shall provide another measures to regulate affairs regarding approval of the establishment of a farmers association’s credit department and its branches, and approval of the abolition, suspension, resumption and re-organization of their operations, standards on the establishment of their equipment and personnel, professional requirements for the department head, range and limitations of the operated businesses, internal financing routines, risk control ratio and use of slack capital.
The credit department of a farmers association shall establish an internal auditing system, and the rules and regulations governing the enforcement of this system shall be established by the central-level target-business competent authorities.
The guidance and assistance in businesses operated by a farmers association’s credit department and related capital flows shall be handled by agricultural banks and treasury. Measures governing affairs in this regard shall be established by the central-level target-business competent authorities with consultations from the Central Bank.
The central-level target-business competent authorities shall also establish measures to regulate the handling of overdue loans, dunned debts and dead loans involving a farmers association’s credit department.
A farmers association, when accepting commissioned requests to handle farming insurance business and assist in affairs related to insurance for farmers, may establish an insurance department.
A farmers association at any level, for the sake of handling businesses provided by the aforementioned Article, may ally at least five farmers associations to undertake a joint venture for the establishment of a limited-liability company. If this joint venture is an important investment, it may be exempted from the restrictions provided by Section 3 of Article 128 under the Company Act. Rules and regulations governing the reviewing of the capital establishment or investment of such joint venture shall be established by the central-level competent authorities. Chapter III Establishment Article 6:
The farmers associations are divided into the following categories: Town, township（city） or district farmers associations, county（city）farmers associations, provincial（municipal）farmers associations and a national farmers association. Farmers associations at all levels, subject to approval of competent authorities concerned, may establish branch offices according to substantial needs.
Below the town, township（city）or district level, in consideration of actual needs, farming task forces shall be established as base-level units to handle a farmers association’s agricultural businesses. Each task force, if necessary, may be divided into several squads to carry out related work. Article 7:
A farmers association at any level shall take the administrative district where it resides as the organizational district. The name of each farmers association shall be prefixed with the administrative district. One same administrative district shall in principle establish only one （1）farmers association. Despite that, in consideration of actual needs, the competent authorities at the central level may either order that the district farmers associations in a special municipality or the town, township（city）or district farmers associations in a county（city）be merged into the municipal farmers association or the county（city）farmers association, respectively, or order that several town, township（city）or district farmers associations be merged to jointly organize a farmers association which shall be newly christened by the competent authorities.
Unless otherwise approved, a farmers association shall reside where the government concerned at any level and a town, township（city）or district government office are located. Article 8:
When a town, township（city）or district has up to fifty（50）individuals eligible for the membership of a farmers association, these individuals shall be organized to establish a base-level farmers association.
When three or more lower-level farmers associations are established, or consult the superior competent authorities for approval, they may be organized to establish a superior farmers association.
.The lower-level farmers associations shall be subject to guidance and assistance from the superior association, the rules and regulations of which shall be established by the central-level competent authorities. Article 9:
The initiative for organizing a farmers association shall be submitted to the competent authorities for permission before initiators convene a meeting to appoint members to form a preparatory committee.
During the preparatory and organization period, initiators shall apply to the competent authorities for assigning officers to guide and supervise elections and other related procedures. Article 10:
Within seven（7）days from the general meeting of a farmers association’s inauguration, the association shall submit to the competent authorities its charter of organization, roster of members（representatives）, resumes of board directors and supervisors for issuance of registration certificates and stamping. Article 11:
A farmers association’s charter of organization shall bear the following particulars:
1. Name;
2. Purposes;
3. District;
4. Address;
5. Duties;
6. Organization;
7. Entry, withdrawal or dismissal of membership;
8. Rights and obligations of members;
9. Numbers, powers, tenure of office, elections and discharge of
members’ representatives and board directors and supervisors;
10. Appointment, discharge and functions of the general manager;
11. Meetings;
12. Membership dues;
13. Funds and accounting;
14. Procedures for revision of the charter of organization. Chapter IV Members Article 12:
An ROC citizen attaining the age of twenty （20）and residing in the organizational district of a farmers association, after passing the qualification screening, may join the base-level farmers association of that organizational district as a member if he or she is actually engaged in farming and meet any of the following requirements:
1. An owner-farmer;
2. A tenant farmer;
3. One graduated from an agricultural school or having written
or invented agriculture-related works while currently engaging
in agricultural extension affairs;
4. An employee currently serving with a lawfully registered
farm, forest or pastureland and actually engaging in farming.
For those who meet any of the aforementioned requirements and wish to apply for the membership of a farmers association, the central-level competent authorities shall establish measures to regulate the certification of qualified members, required application documents, screening procedures as well as other matters concerned in this regard.
Employed farmers who joined the membership of a farmers association before this revised Act comes into force may keep their membership if they still stay as farming workers.
Any farmers association member who has joined the membership for less than six （6）months is not entitled by this Act to elect or to be elected.
Article 13:
An ROC citizen attaining the age of twenty （20）and residing in the organizational district of a farmers association but not meeting any of the requirements provided by the aforementioned Article may join a farmers association as a sponsoring member.
All lawfully registered agricultural cooperative organizations, companies, business establishments and factories may join a local farmers association as a group sponsoring member.
An individual or group sponsoring member are not entitled to elect or to be elected in any election held under this Act other than being elected a supervisor, but may enjoy all other rights same as a member.
Criteria governing the credit loans and related quotas granted to an individual or group sponsoring member by the credit department of a farmers association shall be established by the central-level target-business competent authorities. Article 14:
Each farm household may have only one（1）membership of a farmers association. Article 15:
A superior farmers association takes the subordinate farmers associations as members. The representatives of a subordinate farmers association to join the superior farmers association shall be elected in the general meeting of the subordinate farmers association members（representatives）, with the number of due representatives to be determined by the competent authorities.
The board chairman of a subordinate farmers association is an ex officio deputy of its superior farmers association’s general meeting of member representatives.
Of the member representatives of farmers associations at all levels, at least two-thirds（2/3）shall be owner-farmers, tenant farmers and employed farmers.
A member representative has a four-year（4）tenure of office and is eligible for re-election.
A member representative shall not concurrently serve as chief or deputy chief of a farming task force, or an appointed or employed staffer of the farmers association.
The member representatives of a farmers association at any level shall register their candidacy prior to any election and shall not join any election campaign until registered. Article 15-1:
A farmers association member having held membership for more than six （6）months may be registered as a candidate for member representative. A representative found running into any of the following situations shall not be entitled to such registration; if registered, the registration shall be revoked or nullified:
1. Having repeatedly failed to return borrowed belongings of the
farmers association or having left unpaid membership dues,
business capital, agricultural extension funds, or having had
outstanding debts of any other nature overdue to the farmers
association;
2. In the event of any situation provided under Article 18;
3. Having committed any crime involving rebellion or foreign
intrusion, convicted after the end of the period of
mobilization for the suppression of Communist rebellion;
4. Convicted to any public security penalty of forced labor or
reformatory penalty on rascals, with the penalty to be enforced,
or enforced but not completed, or completed within the past five
（5）years, including those convicted to a public security penalty
of any other nature, with the penalty to be enforced or enforced
but not completed;
5. Having offended the Criminal Code or its special law involving
corruption, or committed any crime involving the Organized
Crime Control Act, with the irregularities convicted;
6. Having offended the Criminal Code or its special law involving
such crimes as vote-buying, bribe-taking, interfering with
balloting, campaign irregularities or monopolizing vote-buying,
or abusing official duties as chances or means to commit such
crimes as misappropriation, fraud, breach of faith or forgery of
documents, and convicted of the crime and sentenced to a penal
servitude for a definite period. Despite that, those who are
reprieved or have completed the sentence converted into a fine
are excluded from this ruling;
7. Having committed a crime other than those mentioned above in the
last four （4）clauses, and convicted of the crime and sentenced
to a penal servitude for a definite period while the penalty is
pending enforcement or enforced but not completed. Despite that,
those who are reprieved or sentenced to less than six（6）months
in prison with the sentence which may be alternatively converted
into a fine are excluded from this ruling;
8. Users of negotiable instruments already denied service due to bad
credit standing while the denial is still pending expiration. Article 16:
One shall not join a farmers association as a member in the event of any of the following situations:
1. Having been deprived of civil rights which have not been restored;
2. Having been declared bankrupt and not yet restored related rights;
3. Having been become subject to the order of the commencement of
guardianship not yet revoked;
4. Having been dismissed as a penalty under this Act. Article 17:
A farmers association member found committing any behavior in violation of this Act or failing to honor the charter of organization or the resolutions adopted in any association general meeting, resulting in direct jeopardy to the farmers association in a gross offense, shall be dismissed from membership. Article 18:
A farmers association member shall withdraw membership in the event of any of the following situations:
l. Dead;
2. Having run into any of the situations mentioned in the
provisions of Clause 1-3 under Article 16;
3. Forfeiting the ROC citizenship;
4. Relocating out of the organizational district of the original
farmers association;
5. Dismissed.
Chapter V Staff
Article 19:
A farmers association shall have directors and supervisors to form a board of directors and that of supervisors, respectively. The directors and supervisors shall be elected by members（representatives）in the following numbers:
1. Nine（9）directors for each town, township（city）or
district farmers association;
2. Nine（9）to fifteen（15）directors for each county（city）
farmers association;
3. Fifteen（15）to twenty-one（21）directors for each
provincial（municipal）farmers association;
4. Thirty-three（33）to forth-five（45）directors for the
national farmers association;
5. The number of supervisors shall be one-third（1/3）of
a farmers association’s directors;
6. A farmers association shall have standby directors and
supervisors the numbers of which shall not exceed
one-second（1/2）of the numbers of directors and supervisors.
At least two-thirds（2/3）of a farmers association’s directors or supervisors shall be owner-farmers, tenant farmers and employed farmers.
One board chairman and one standing supervisor shall be elected out of a farmers association’s directors and supervisors, but a director or supervisor of a superior farmers association shall not concurrently serve as a director or supervisor of a lower-level farmers association.
Article 20:
Candidates for a farmers association’s board directors or supervisors shall come only from members of the base-level farmers association, while candidates for a superior farmers association’s board directors or supervisors shall not be limited to representatives from lower-level farmers associations.
Board directors and supervisors of a farmers association shall register their candidacy prior to elections and shall not undergo any election campaign until registered.
Article 20-1:
Any member of a farmers association meeting the following requirements may register candidacy for elections of directors or supervisors:
1. Having joined the membership for more than two（2）years;
2. Graduated from a junior high school or a primary school and
once serving as a farmers association’s board director,
supervisor, member representative, general manager, or chief
or deputy chief of a farming task force for a minimum of one
（1）term;
3. Having engaged in agriculture hands-on and meeting the
qualifications set forth by the central-level competent
authorities.
Rules and regulations governing the certification and screening procedures of required qualifications as well as other matters concerned provided above by Clause 3 involving the candidates for a farmers association’s directors or supervisors engaging in agriculture hands-on shall be established by the central-level competent authorities. Article 20-2:
Any member of a farmers association in the event of any of the following situations shall not register candidacy to run for a board director or supervisor of a farmers association and shall be revoked or nullified the candidacy or eligibility if registered or elected.
1. Having repeatedly failed to return borrowed belongings of
the farmers association or having left unpaid membership
dues, business capital, agricultural extension funds, or
having borrowed loans from a farmers association or any
other financial organization since January 1, 2001, leaving
a record of unpaid principal and interest for more than one
（1）year, or having had outstanding debts overdue to a
farmers association and failed to repay the debts for more
than one（1）year after notification of the repayment.
2. Having run into any of the situations mentioned in the
provisions of Clause 2-8 under Article 15-1;
3. Having been discharged from position due to conviction of a
crime during the service as elected, appointed or employed
staff of the farmers association within the past four（4）years;
4. Having been declared bankrupt within the past five（5）years
while serving the position responsible for the bankrupt
judicial person.
Article 21:
Board directors and supervisors of a farmers association shall serve on a non-salaried basis and shall not concurrently serve as the farmers association’s appointed or employed staff, chief or deputy chief of a farming task force, or serve in any position in any other group or enterprise competing with the farmers association, nor shall they engage in any for-profit business in competition with the farmers association. Article 22:
A board director or supervisor of a farmers association has a four-year（4）tenure of office and is eligible for one （1） re-election, but the number of re-elected directors or supervisors shall not exceed one-second（1/2）of the total number of directors or supervisors.
The resumes and roster of newly elected board directors and supervisors together with a roster detailing the increase or reduction of the farmers association’s members shall be submitted to the competent authorities for reference within seven（7）days after the aforementioned elections held due to expiry of a term of tenure. Article 22-1:
Elections of a farmers association’s elected staff shall be held and completed thirty（30）days prior to expiry of a tenure of office or on a date specified by the competent authorities.
A farmers association’s newly elected staff shall take office on a specified date.
Elected staff in a renewed or supplemental election or those who fail somehow to complete election or take office by the specified deadline shall still have their tenure of office beginning to run on the specified date. Article 23:
A farming task force shall have one chief and one deputy chief who shall be elected by farmers association members and shall have a four-year（4）tenure of office and be eligible for re-election. In the chief’s absence, the deputy chief shall take the office for the remaining tenure till expiry of the original chief’s tenure of office.
Any farmers association member having attained membership for more than six（6）months may register candidacy for chief or deputy chief of a farming task force. Despite that, one shall not register such candidacy in the event of any of the situations mentioned in the provisions of Article 15-1, with the registration to be revoked or nullified if registered.
Candidates for the chief and deputy chief of a farming task force shall complete registration for candidacy prior to the elections and shall not participate in any election campaign until registered. Article 23-1:
When a farmers association holds two（2）or more elections simultaneously, the hopefuls shall register candidacy only for one（1） election, and the registration shall be null and void for one who simultaneously registers candidacy for more than two elections.
A registered candidate shall not withdraw his or her registration after the registration deadline is due. One who withdraws registration prior to the deadline shall not re-apply for candidacy registration in the same category of election. Article 24:
Elected staff of a farmers association in the event of violating Act s or the charter of organization or found committing any behavior jeopardizing or defaming the farmers association shall be recalled from post through a resolution adopted in a general meeting of association members （representatives）. Article 25:
A farmers association shall have one general manager, to be appointed by the board of directors out of the qualified candidates selected by the competent authorities at the central or municipal level. Each appointment shall last no longer than the tenure of office for the incumbent board of directors.
Provided that a next board of directors wants to re-appoint the same candidate as general manager, only one （1）re-appointment may be made to that candidate, but a general manager whose performance has been rated by government authorities as remarkable may be re-appointed for one（1）more term.
The appointment of a general manager shall be made within sixty（60） days after the establishment of a new board of directors. Provided that the general manager does not come out within the deadline, the superior farmers association shall appoint a qualified person to act in place. The acting general manager of a national or provincial（municipal）farmers association shall be appointed by the central-level competent authorities out of qualified candidates and shall act in place until the new general manager is duly appointed.
The appointment of a farmers association’s general manager shall be made with a majority vote in a resolution adopted by more than one-second（1/2）of the total board directors while the discharge of a general manager shall call for a majority vote in a resolution adopted by more than two-thirds（2/3）of the total board directors. Article 25-1:
One who meets the following requirements may register candidacy for the general manger of a farmers association:
1. The general manager of a national or provincial（municipal）
farmers association shall possess one of the following
qualifications:
（1）Graduated from a university or independent college or with a
higher education, or qualified by a senior civil service
examination, and having served with a government agency or
school, or an agricultural or financial organization or a
farmers group in a position equivalent to recommend rank
for more than three（3）years;
（2）Graduated from a junior college or with a higher education,
and having served with a government agency or school, or an
agricultural or financial organization or a farmers group in
a position equivalent to recommend rank for more than five
（5）years;
（3）Graduated from a senior high or senior vocational school,
or qualified by a general civil service examination, and
having served with a government agency or school, or an
agricultural or financial organization or a farmers group in
a position equivalent to recommend rank for more than seven（7）
years.
2. The general manger of a county（city）, town, township（city）or
district farmers association shall possess one of the following
qualifications:
（1）Graduated from a university or independent college or with a
higher education, or qualified by a senior civil service
examination, and having served with a government agency or
school or an agricultural or financial organization or a
farmers group in a position equivalent to delegated rank for
more than two（2）years;
（2）Graduated from a junior college or with a higher education,
and having served with a government agency or school, or an
agricultural or financial organization or a farmers group in
a position equivalent to delegated rank for more than four（4）
years;
（3）Graduated from a senior high or senior vocational school, or
qualified by a general civil service examination, and having
served with a government agency or school, or an agricultural
or financial organization or a farmers group in a position
equivalent to delegated rank for more than six（6）years.
3. The new general manager of a farmers association at any level
shall not be older than fifty-five（55）years in age at the
time of appointment.
An incumbent general manager may be exempted from the aforementioned required qualifications. Article 25-2:
One in the event of any of the following situations shall not register candidacy for appointment by a farmers association as general manager, and the registration shall be revoked or nullified if registered, and so shall be the appointment if appointed:
1. A non-ROC citizen;
2. Having repeatedly failed to return borrowed belongings of the
farmers association or having left unpaid membership dues,
business capital or agricultural extension funds, or having
borrowed loans from a farmers association or any other
financial organization since January 1, 2001, leaving a record
of unpaid principal and interest for more than one（1）year, or
having had outstanding debts overdue to a farmers association
and failed to repay the debts for more than one（1）year after
notification of the repayment.
3. Having run into any of the situations mentioned in the
provisions of Clause 3-8 under Article 15-1;
4. Having run into any of the situations mentioned in the
provisions of Clause 1-3 under Article 16;
5. Having been discharged from position due to conviction of a
crime during the service as elected, appointed or employed
staff of the farmers association;
6. Having been declared bankrupt within the past five（5）years
while serving the position responsible for the bankrupt
judicial person. Article 25-3:
The general manger of a farmers association shall file with the farmers association within ten（10）days starting from the date of appointment a letter of guaranty signed by at least two（2）guarantors possessing real estate, or an integrity insurance promising his or her honesty.
Quotas of the aforementioned real estate or insurance shall be established by the central-level competent authorities. Article 26:
The appointed or employed staff other than the general manager of a farmers association shall be appointed or employed by the general manager out of those qualified by the joint examinations of farmers associations and shall be subject to instruction and supervision by the general manager.
The aforementioned appointed or employed staff shall be qualified through the joint examinations and training courses held by the national or provincial（municipal）farmers association under the supervision and guidance of the central-level or municipal competent authorities. Article 27:
The general manager and other appointed or employed staff of a farmers association shall serve on a full-time basis and shall not concurrently run any other industrial or commercial business or serve any other salaried position for a public or private group or serve as elected deputies at any level. In case of running any election campaign and being elected for a government position, they shall be considered having resigned from the farmers association’s position as soon as they take the new office. Article 27-1:
The spouses or people with relationship closer than second-level blood relatives or first-level relatives through marriage shall not serve at the same time as the board chairman, standing supervisor or general manger at the same farmers association.
In the event of any of the aforementioned situations, those who are elected, appointed or employed shall have their election, appointment or employment considered null and void. Chapter VI Division of powers and responsibilities Article 28:
The general meeting of members（representatives）shall be the body of the supreme power of a farmers association. During its recess, the board of directors shall design and plan the association’s business operations in accordance with resolutions adopted in the general meeting of member（representatives） while the board of supervisors shall control and monitor the association’s business and finance Article 29:
The members（representatives）, board directors and supervisors of a farmers association shall exercise their powers only during a meeting. Article 30:
When the members（representatives）, directors and supervisors of a farmers association attend a legal meeting, each person is entitled to one（1） voting power. If a resolution adopted in the meeting is found violating Acts or the charter of organization and thus resulting in any damage to the farmers association, they shall be subject to indemnity. Despite that, those who make an objection during the resolution as expressly recorded in the minutes shall be exempted from the responsibilities.
Any resolution on major issues adopted in any meeting of a farmers association shall be kept on named record in writing. Article 31:
The general manager of a farmers association shall carry out duties under the resolutions adopted by the board of directors and shall be responsible to the board of directors. Article 32:
The general manager of a farmers association in the event of violating Acts or the charter of organization and thus resulting in any damage to the farmers association shall be subject to indemnity.
In the event of any damage to the properties received by or in the custody of a farmers association due to any cause other than an act of God, the general manager and other staff concerned shall be subject to the responsibility of joint indemnity. Chapter VII Meetings Article 33:
The general meetings of members（representatives）shall be held on a regular or provisional basis and shall be convened by the chairman of the board of directors.
The regular meetings in case of the national farmers association shall be held every two（2）years and once per annum in case of a provincial（municipal）or lower-level farmers association. A provisional meeting shall be convened at the request made by more than one-third（1/3）of the association members（representatives）or when considered necessary by the board of directors.
Provided that the chairman of the board of directors fails to convene the aforementioned provisional meeting within ten（10）days following the request, those who originally proposed the provisional meeting may apply to the competent authorities for an order to convene the meeting.
A base-level farmers association, in consideration of difficulty in convening a general meeting of members due to the huge number of members, may have the farming task forces electing representatives to convene a general meeting of representatives and exercise the powers on behalf of the general meeting of association members, the rules and regulations of which shall be established by the central-level competent authorities. Article 34:
The meeting of the board of directors shall be convened by the board chairman of a farmers association, and the meeting of the board of supervisors shall be convened by the standing supervisor, with the meetings to be presided over by the conveners, respectively. The number of meetings to be convened shall be provided in the charter of organization of the farmers association. Article 35:
The farming task force under a farmers association shall hold at least one（1）task force meeting per annum, which shall be convened and presided over by the task force chief. Article 36:
The general meeting of members（representatives）and the meetings of board directors or supervisors of a farmers association shall, unless otherwise provided for in this Act, call each for a forum of more than one-second（1/2）of the total, and any resolution therein shall be adopted by a vote with endorsement from a one-second（1/2）majority of the attendants actually present.
Except a case involving the appointment of a general manger, provided that two consecutive meetings as mentioned above are attended by less than one-second（1/2）of the total, a third（3rd）meeting may be held if attended by more than one-third（1/3）of the total unless the number of the required attendants is smaller than three（3）. Article 37:
On the issues provided in the following, resolutions shall be adopted by a two-thirds majority of the attendants in a general meeting of members（representatives）attended by more than two-thirds（2/3） of the total members（representatives）of a farmers association:
1. Adoption or revision of the charter of organization;
2. Penalty against members;
3. Recall of elected personnel;
4. Fund-raisings;
5. Disposal of properties;
6. Other major issues related to the rights and obligations of
association members.
Chapter VIII Funds
Article 38:
The funds of a farmers association come from the following sources:
1. Initiation fees: Payable in a lump sum upon entry of
membership at the rates to be determined in a resolution
adopted by the general meeting of members （representatives）
and approved by the competent authorities concerned;
2. Annual membership dues: Payable annually by members at the
rates to be determined in a resolution adopted by the general
meeting of members （representatives）and approved by the
competent authorities concerned while a sum twenty percent
（20%）of the annual membership dues received by a lower-level
farmers association shall be turned in to its superior farmers
association;
3. Business funds: Exclusively for use of running businesses,
with the rules and regulations governing the fund-raising to
be adopted in the general meeting of members（representatives）
and filed on record with the competent authorities concerned;
4. Revenues from raised agricultural extension funds: Exclusively
for use of agricultural extension business to be filed on
record with the competent authorities concerned;
5. An agricultural financial organization shall appropriate a
part of the net profits made annually, or at least ten
percent（10%）of the profits in this regard, as a fund for
agricultural service and extension of a farmers association
at any level;
6. Government subsidies: Government authorities at central and
local levels shall set aside part of their budgets for
subsidization of farmers associations for agricultural
extension businesses;
7. Revenues from profits made by a farmers association from
its businesses and government-commissioned businesses:
Subject to the rules and regulations governing the final
income statements of a farmers association’s businesses;
8. Other revenues.
Article 39:
The economic, financial, insurance and agricultural extension businesses of a farmers association shall hold separate accounting systems, with their budgets and final income statements prepared and reported to the general meeting of members（representatives）and submitted to the competent authorities concerned for reference. Article 40:
Following the annual final account, a farmers association shall count the remaining profits made from different businesses as the overall profits of the association after part of the income earned in this regard is appropriated as reserves of those businesses concerned.
The overall profits of a farmers association, except those used to make up previous losses, if any, shall be allocated at the following ratios:
1. Legal reserves: Fifteen percent（15%）;
2. Funds for public interests: Five percent（5%）;
3. Funds for agricultural extension, training, culture and
welfare businesses: No less than sixty-two percent（62%）;
4. Funds for inter-organizational extension, mutual aid and
training services among farmers associations at all levels:
Eight percent（8%）;
5. Remunerations for board directors, supervisors and
association staff: No more than ten percent（10%）.
The rules and regulations governing the custody and application of the aforementioned legal reserves as per Clause 1, funds for public interests as per Clause 2, and funds as per Clause 4 shall be established by the central-level competent authorities.
The ratio of the profits made from different businesses to be appropriated as reserves of those businesses concerned as mentioned in Paragraph 1 under this Article shall be established by the central-level competent authorities together with the central-level target-business competent authorities. Chapter IX Supervision Article 41:
A farmers association may receive a warning from the competent authorities in the event of neglecting duties, offending public interests or trespassing powers. Article 42:
The competent authorities may issue an order to revoke any resolution adopted by a farmers association which is found violating Acts, offending public interests or trespassing the association’s purposes and duties. Article 43:
The competent authorities may disband a farmers association or abolish its registration in case the association is found violating its purposes or duties in a gross offense.
A farmers association shall be re-organized soon after the association is disbanded or its registration is abolished. Article 44:
The lower-level competent authorities shall consult the superior competent authorities for approval in the event of taking any action provided under Article 42 and Article 43. Article 45:
When a farmers association is found in mismanagement, serious losses or in other major faults, the competent authorities may suspend and then re-adjust the powers of the association’s member representatives, board directors or supervisors if such suspension and re-adjustment, subject to approval from the central-level competent authorities, is considered necessary. An order for elections of new personnel in this regard shall be issued soon after completion of the re-adjustment. Article 46:
In case a farmers association’s board directors, supervisors or general manager is found violating Acts or the charter of organization and thus critically damaging the farmers association, the competent authorities may, subject to approval from the superior competent authorities, suspend their powers or discharge them from the positions while the suspension or discharge may also be enforced directly by the superior competent authorities. Article 46-1:
Any elected, appointed or employed staffer of a farmers association who is detained or wanted in a criminal case shall be suspended from his or her power.
Any elected, appointed or employed staffer of a farmers association who is sentenced to imprisonment or a more serious penalty on the second trial shall be discharged from his or her position, but those who are reprieved or sentenced to less than six（6）months in prison with the imprisonment which may be alternatively converted into a fine shall be excluded from this ruling.
Any elected, appointed or employed staffer of a farmers association who, prior to enforcement of this revised Article, has been suspended from his or her power in accordance with the ruling provided prior to the revision of this Article, shall be applicable to the provisions of the newly revised version.
Those who have been suspended from the powers in accordance with the provisions under Paragraph 1 may apply for resumption of their powers prior to expiry of their tenure of office as soon as they are no longer detained or wanted.
Any elected, appointed or employed staffer of a farmers association who loses his or her eligibility for the election or appointment candidacy during the service shall be discharged from the position by the competent authorities or the superior competent authorities. Article 47:
When a farmers association is disbanded, the competent authorities shall assign a liquidator empowered to exercise liquidation on behalf of the farmers association.
When a farmers association is declared bankrupt, the depositors of the credit department shall be entitled to take priority in making a claim to the assets of the credit department as compensation. Article 47-1:
One who is found committing any of the following behaviors in an election of a farmers association shall be subject to imprisonment of up to three（3） years and, in addition thereto, may be imposed a fine of up to thirty-thousand（30,000）Silver Dollars:
1. One who has the right of election and demands, agrees upon
with a tacit accord or accepts properties or other
unjustifiable interests in exchange of not electing
or acting otherwise;
2. One who demands those having the right of election not to
elect or to act otherwise by promising with a tacit accord
or delivering properties or other unjustifiable interests;
3. One who demands a candidate to give up election campaign or
hold certain campaign activities by promising with a tacit
accord or delivering properties or other unjustifiable
interests;
4. A candidate who demands, agrees upon with a tacit accord or
accepts properties or other unjustifiable interests in
exchange of giving up election campaign or holding certain
campaign activities.
In case of any aforementioned crime committed, the properties so received shall be confiscated. If confiscation is impossible in full or in part, a demand for payment of a value equivalent to the properties concerned shall be made to the offender.
Article 47-2:
One who is found committing any of the following behaviors in appointment of the general manager of a farmers association starting from the date for the candidacy registration for elections of board directors shall be subject to imprisonment of up to three（3）years and, in addition thereto, may be imposed a fine of up to thirty-thousand（30,000）Silver Dollars:
1. A board director or candidate who demands, agrees upon with a
tacit accord or accepts properties or other unjustifiable
interests in exchange of promising to appoint or not to
appoint some hopeful;
2. One who demands any board director or candidate to appoint or
not to appoint some hopeful by promising with a tacit accord
or delivering properties or other unjustifiable interests;
3. One who demands any qualified candidate for appointment as the
general manager to give up the acceptance of appointment by
promising with a tacit accord or delivering properties or other
unjustifiable interests;
4. A qualified candidate for appointment as general manger who
promises to give up the acceptance of appointment by demanding,
agreeing upon with a tacit accord or accepting properties or
other unjustifiable interests.
One who is found planning to commit any aforementioned crime shall be subject to imprisonment of up to one（1）year.
For one who is found committing any crime mentioned in Section 1 or Section 2 under this Article, the properties so prepared or demanded, promised with a with accord, delivered or accepted shall be confiscated regardless of their ownership. If confiscation is impossible in full or in part, a demand for payment of a value equivalent to the properties concerned shall be made to the offender. Article 47-3:
One who is found using violence, intimidation or other unlawful ways to hinder another from campaigning for an election or force another to give up election campaign or obstruct others from freely exercising the right of election shall be subject to imprisonment of up to five（5）years and, in addition hereto, may be imposed a fine of up to fifty-thousand（50,000）Silver Dollars.
The same penalty may be imposed on one who is found using violence, intimidation or other unlawful ways to hinder the registration, selection and appointment of a general manager.
Any attempt to commit an offense as mentioned above shall be subject to punishment. Article 47-4:
Any candidate who is found committing any crime as mentioned in Section 1 under Article 47-1 or Section 1 under Article 47-3 shall be abolished his or her candidacy; the election shall be considered null and void if elected.
A qualified candidate for appointment as general manger who is found committing any crime as mentioned in Section 1 under Article 47-2 or in Section 2 under Article 47-3 shall be abolished his or her candidacy for appointment; the appointment shall be considered null and void if appointed.
One who once committed any crime as mentioned in Section 1 under Article 47-1 or Section 2 under Article 47-2 or any crime as mentioned in Article 47-3 shall not be allowed to become a candidate for any election of a farmers association or for the appointment as general manager.
An offender as mentioned above shall be excluded from the rulings under this Article in case of the condition for exclusion as provided in Section 2 under Article 46-1. Article 47-5:
A farmers association which handles affairs of the credit department and is found violating the rules and regulations related to forcible or forbidding measures or found failing to conduct a certain required behavior as provided in an order authorized in accordance with this Act by the central-level target-business competent authorities shall be imposed a fine of between six-hundred-thousand New Taiwan Dollars（NT$600,000）and three million New Taiwan Dollars（NT$3,000,000）by the central-level target-business competent authorities. Chapter X ByActs Article 48:
A farmers association for the sake of advice and instruction in agricultural technology and other tasks related to agricultural improvement may consult local organizations concerned for assignation of professionals in agricultural improvement, extension, finance or education to render related assistance. Article 49:
The share capital received by a farmers association prior to enforcement of this revised Act shall be converted as the fund for the association’s businesses and shall allow for succession, the rules and regulations of which shall be established by the central-level competent authorities.
Article 49-1:
The rules and regulations governing the management of personnel or financial affairs of a farmers association at any level and those governing the appointment, election and recall of the association’s general manager and related examinations and evaluations shall be established by the central-level competent authorities. The contents and range covered in this regard are as follows:
1. Rules and regulations governing personnel management:
Personnel-related evaluation and policy-making, authorized
staff size, ranks and required appointment or employment
qualifications, salary rates, inauguration, release,
performance evaluation, reward and punishment, lay-off,
retirement, pension and services as well as other duly followed
matters;
2. Rules and regulations governing financial management: Accounting,
budget and final account planning and review, property
management, financial check and evaluation, rights and
responsibilities of accounting staff as well as other duly
followed matters; 3. Rules and regulations governing election
and appointment of the general manager: Candidacy registration,
qualifications review, election and appointment procedures,
items to be reviewed and graded, grading rates as well as other
duly followed matters; 4. Rules and regulations governing
elections and recall: Categories of elections and recall, candidacy
registration, qualifications review procedures, election results
and recall requirements as well as other duly followed matters;
5. Rules and regulations governing performance evaluation: Items for
evaluation, grading rates, grade-rating judgment, reward and
punishment as well as other duly followed matters.
Article 49-2:
To the procedures of litigation resulting from an election or recall matter of a farmers association and the procedures regarding the appointment and discharge of a farmers association’s general manager, except a case involving provisional injunction, the Code of Civil Procedure shall be mutatis mutandis applicable. Article 50:
The enforcement rules hereof shall be established by the central-level competent authorities. Article 51:
This Act takes effect upon promulgation.
The amended act promulagated on may 5,2009 shall be implemented on November 23,2009. |