In order to thoroughly implement laws and regulations such as the Agricultural Product Quality Safety Law of the People's Republic of China, the Regulations on Pesticide Administration, the Regulations on Veterinary Drug Administration, and the Regulations on the Administration of Feed and Feed Additives, this notice aims to regulate the use of agricultural inputs by agricultural production entities. The goal is to safeguard the quality and safety of agricultural products and protect public health at the source. All production entities must strictly adhere to the following regulations regarding the use of agricultural inputs.

Agricultural production entities are the primary parties responsible for the quality and safety of agricultural products. They must use agricultural inputs rationally in accordance with laws, regulations, and the stipulations of the national agricultural administrative department. It is mandatory to strictly observe the safety intervals or withdrawal periods for agricultural inputs to prevent any risk to product quality. The use of nationally prohibited agricultural inputs and other toxic or hazardous substances during the production and management process is strictly forbidden.

Standardized Use of Pesticides

The use of banned pesticides is strictly prohibited. There are 60 pesticides for which production, sale, and use are explicitly banned nationwide, including but not limited to BHC, DDT, toxaphene, dibromochloropropane, chlordimeform, ethylene dibromide, nitrofen, aldrin, dieldrin, mercury compounds, arsenic compounds, lead compounds, fluoroacetamide, gliftor, tetramine, sodium fluoroacetate, silatrane, methamidophos, parathion, methyl parathion, monocrotophos, phosphamidon, fenamiphos, ethoprophos, phosfolan-methyl, calcium phosphide, magnesium phosphide, zinc phosphide, fosthietan, coumaphos, sulfotep, terbufos, chlorsulfuron, ethametsulfuron, metsulfuron-methyl, asomate, methyl arsonic acid, dicofol, lindane, endosulfan, sulfluramid, methidathion, paraquat, mirex, chlordane, hexachlorobenzene, 2,4-D butylate, methyl bromide, sodium pentachlorophenate, phorate, isofenphos-methyl, isocarbophos, ethoprophos, omethoate, carbofuran, methomyl, aldicarb, aluminum phosphide, and chloropicrin. Among these, methyl bromide is only permitted for quarantine fumigation. Methidathion and sodium pentachlorophenate have no registered formulations. Aluminum phosphide is restricted solely to controlling stored grain pests, and chloropicrin is restricted to soil fumigation. No individual or organization is allowed to purchase, retain, or use the aforementioned banned pesticides.

There are 12 pesticides with restricted use ranges that must be applied strictly according to the scope indicated on their labels, without exceeding the specified limits. Systemic insecticides such as demeton, phosfolan, and triazophos are prohibited on vegetables, fruits, tea, and Chinese herbal medicines. Acephate, carbosulfan, and dimethoate are banned on vegetables, fruits, tea, fungi, and Chinese herbal medicines. Chlorpyrifos and triazophos are prohibited on vegetables. Daminozide is banned on peanuts. Fenvalerate is prohibited on tea leaves. Fipronil is banned on all crops, except for seed coating of certain dryland crops like corn. Flubendiamide is prohibited on rice. Additionally, pesticides must be used according to the label's specified scope, methods, dosage, technical requirements, and safety intervals. It is strictly forbidden to exceed the approved scope or dosage. Highly toxic and acute toxic pesticides cannot be used to control sanitary pests or in the production of vegetables, fruits, tea, fungi, or Chinese herbal medicines. They are also prohibited for controlling pests and diseases of aquatic plants. Pesticides must not be used within drinking water source protection areas, nor for poisoning fish, shrimp, birds, or animals.

Standardized Use of Veterinary Drugs

The use of banned veterinary drugs is strictly prohibited. There are 21 types of drugs and other compounds banned for use in food animals, including lindane, dapsone, methaqualone, malachite green, nitrovin, sodium nitrophenolate, tryparsamide, antimony potassium tartrate, sodium pentachlorophenolate, toxaphene, carbofuran, chlordimeform, carbadox and its salts/esters, chloramphenicol and its salts/esters, beta-agonists and their salts/esters, nitroimidazoles, vancomycin and its salts/esters, mercury preparations, nitrofurans, and steroid hormones. Furthermore, the use of seven drugs and other compounds is discontinued in food animals. This includes the various salts, esters, and preparations of lomefloxacin, pefloxacin, ofloxacin, and norfloxacin, as well as the active ingredients and preparations of olaquindox, arsanilic acid, and roxarsone.

Veterinary drug users must comply with the safety regulations established by the national veterinary administrative department and maintain usage records. The use of counterfeit or inferior veterinary drugs, as well as any drugs or compounds prohibited by national regulations, is forbidden. It is also prohibited to add hormonal drugs or other banned substances to feed or drinking water for animals, or to add raw active ingredients directly to feed or water. Human drugs must never be used in animals. Strict adherence to withdrawal periods is required to ensure that veterinary drug residues in animal products meet food safety standards.

Standardized Use of Feed and Feed Additives

The use of feed and feed additives that lack proper labeling, production licenses, quality standards, or quality inspection certificates is prohibited. Adding hormonal drugs or other banned substances to feed or drinking water is also forbidden, as is the use of any substances banned by the national agricultural administrative department. Unapproved or unregistered feed additives must not be used, and all safety specifications for feed additive use must be followed.

Establishing Production Record Systems

Agricultural production entities are required to establish records for their use of agricultural inputs. These records must accurately document the name, source, manufacturer, method, dosage, dates of use and discontinuation, the person responsible for application, and the target of application. Records must also include the occurrence and control of animal diseases and plant pests, as well as the dates of harvest, slaughter, or capture. These production records must be kept for at least two years. Scaled production entities should build comprehensive production archives to ensure full traceability of their products. Before agricultural products are placed on the market, quality and safety testing is required. Products that pass inspection must be accompanied by a certificate of commitment to quality and safety compliance.

Legal Liabilities

Entities that use nationally prohibited agricultural inputs or other toxic and hazardous substances during production and management will be subject to penalties under Article 60 of the Agricultural Product Quality Safety Law. The local agricultural administrative department will order the cessation of production and operation, recall any sold products, and oversee the harmless treatment or supervised destruction of the illegally produced items. Illegal gains will be confiscated, and tools, equipment, and raw materials used in the illegal activities may also be seized. Fines will range from 100,000 to 150,000 yuan if the value of the illegally produced products is less than 10,000 yuan. For values exceeding 10,000 yuan, fines will be between 15 and 30 times the value of the goods. Individual farmers face fines of 1,000 to 10,000 yuan. In severe cases, licenses may be revoked, and public security authorities may impose detention of 5 to 15 days on directly responsible personnel.

Individuals using banned pesticides will face penalties under the Regulations on Pesticide Administration. If the user is an agricultural production enterprise, a food or edible agricultural product storage enterprise, a professional pest control service organization, or a farmer's professional cooperative, fines will range from 50,000 to 100,000 yuan. Individual users face fines of up to 10,000 yuan. Criminal liability will be pursued if the offense constitutes a crime. Using highly toxic or acute toxic pesticides on vegetables, fruits, tea, fungi, Chinese herbal medicines, or for aquatic plant pest control will also be penalized in accordance with the relevant regulations. For violations involving veterinary drugs, penalties will be imposed under the Regulations on Veterinary Drug Administration, including immediate correction, harmless treatment of animals fed with banned substances, and fines ranging from 10,000 to 50,000 yuan for the offending entities. Compensation for losses caused to others and criminal liability will apply where applicable.

All agricultural production entities are urged to strictly comply with the regulations outlined above and to consciously standardize their use of agricultural inputs to jointly safeguard the quality and safety of agricultural products. Any suspected violations involving the production, operation, or use of banned or restricted pesticides or veterinary drugs should be reported to the Heqing County Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau via the reporting hotline at 0872-4121727.

Heqing County Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau

September 18, 2026