Three Chinese departments jointly issue 2026-2027 agricultural brand protection plan
In short
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the State Administration for Market Regulation and the National Intellectual Property Administration have jointly issued an implementation plan for a special action on agricultural brand protection for 2026-2027. The plan sets four key tasks: quality and safety enforcement for branded primary farm products, a crackdown on trademark and patent violations, action against unfair competition, and stronger administrative protection of agriculture-related intellectual property.
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The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the State Administration for Market Regulation and the National Intellectual Property Administration have jointly issued the Implementation Plan for the Special Action on Agricultural Brand Protection (2026-2027), CLS, 36Kr, Yicai and Jiemian reported on October 9. The reports said the plan was issued recently but gave no exact date. 36Kr and Jiemian credited the report to CCTV News. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
According to the reports, the plan is meant to implement decisions of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, strengthen agricultural brand protection, crack down on infringement and other illegal acts, create a fair and orderly market environment, boost consumer confidence and protect farmers' interests. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
The special action has four key tasks. The first is to strengthen quality and safety supervision and enforcement for branded primary agricultural products. This includes promoting brand authorisation management and building a traceability system covering production, processing and sales, so that branded agricultural products take the lead in becoming fully traceable, with origins checkable, destinations traceable and responsibility accountable. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
The second task is a crackdown on illegal acts involving agriculture-related trademarks and patents. Authorities are to investigate agriculture-related trademark infringement, geographical indication infringement and counterfeit patents, strictly regulate the use of deceptive trademarks and other conduct that misleads the public in agriculture, and act against violations of the rules on the use of collective and certification marks. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
The third task targets unfair competition, including 'free-riding' and imitation of famous brands. The focus is on unauthorised use of names, packaging and decoration identical or similar to those of well-known regional public brands and geographical indication brands that cause confusion; on false or misleading commercial publicity about a product's performance, function, quality, sales, user reviews or past honours; and on harming competitors through commercial defamation. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
The fourth task is to strengthen administrative protection of agriculture-related intellectual property. The plan supports agricultural brand holders in protecting their rights through trademarks, patents, geographical indications and new plant varieties, and calls for regulating trademark registration management to prevent and stop malicious pre-emptive registration. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
Why it matters
According to the reports, the plan aims to crack down on infringement, create a fair and orderly market, boost consumer confidence and protect farmers' interests. It targets practices such as trademark and geographical indication infringement, imitation of well-known regional brands, false advertising and malicious trademark squatting in the agricultural sector.
Key facts
- The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the State Administration for Market Regulation and the National Intellectual Property Administration jointly issued the plan. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The plan covers a special action on agricultural brand protection for 2026-2027. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The special action has four key tasks. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Branded agricultural products are to take the lead in achieving full traceability across production, processing and sales. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Authorities will investigate agriculture-related trademark infringement, geographical indication infringement and counterfeit patents. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- The plan targets 'free-riding' on well-known regional public brands and false or misleading commercial publicity. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Trademark registration management is to be regulated to prevent and stop malicious pre-emptive registration. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Three departments, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the State Administration for Market Regulation and the National Intellectual Property Administration, jointly issued the Implementation Plan for the Special Action on Agricultural Brand Protection (2026-2027). [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The stated aims include strengthening agricultural brand protection, cracking down on infringement, boosting consumer confidence and protecting farmers' interests. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The plan's four key tasks cover quality and safety enforcement for branded primary agricultural products, trademark and patent violations, unfair competition, and administrative protection of agriculture-related intellectual property. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- The exact date the plan was issued. The reports say only that it was issued recently, without giving a date.
- How the tasks will be divided among the three departments and what penalties apply. The documents list the tasks but give no details on responsibilities or penalties.