Amongst drafts being considered by national legislators during their current session in Beijing is China's first comprehensive law on animal husbandry, which began to be discussed yesterday as fatal swine and cow-borne disease outbreaks continue to haunt parts of the country.

"China has enacted some laws and administrative rules in relation to animal husbandry, but as they each deal with one aspect of the sector, they cannot regulate the whole process of production and management," said Shu Huiguo, vice-chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee.

Aiming to improve meat safety whilst protecting farmers' livelihoods, it is undergoing its first reading at the 17th meeting of the NPC Standing Committee, scheduled to conclude on Sunday, after which it will need to pass another two.

The bill, in the pipeline since 2001, would enshrine in law key policies and measures that have proven instrumental in animal husbandry development, said Shu.

According to the draft, the government should offer financial and technical support to farmers to expand and improve production, whilst farmers should register their farms and establish breeding records, which will also log the use of veterinary feed and medicine.

Farmers would be required to report outbreaks to local animal epidemic prevention agencies and take measures to curb infections, and if diseased stock are ordered culled, they would be entitled to claim compensation.

The draft law does not include regulations on slaughtering and the circulation of meat products, which Shu said were covered by separate legislation.

The Standing Committee, which began its session on Tuesday, made the second revision of China's Securities Law and Company Law as well as the draft amendment on women's rights protection yesterday.

(China Daily August 24, 2005)