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(2009/05/19 17:52) Life Center / Comprehensive Report
The nutritious lunches served to students turned out to be rice meant for pig feed! Changhua prosecutors uncovered unscrupulous businesses colluding with officials from the Agricultural and Food Agency to sell low-quality rice to schools for student meals. The implicated grain merchants protested, claiming the rice came from the Agricultural and Food Agency and couldn’t possibly be problematic. Meanwhile, elementary schools in northern Taiwan that may have purchased the substandard rice are on high alert, insisting their rice is absolutely fresh.
Workers carried bag after bag of white rice, all destined to become part of elementary school lunches. However, Changhua prosecutors found that this grain supplier was allegedly involved in a scheme with Agricultural and Food Agency officials to sell expired rice. The supplier insisted the rice they distributed was fresh and guaranteed to be safe, but prosecutors’ investigations revealed that the substandard rice may have already made its way to an elementary school in northern Taiwan.
Deputy Director of the Agricultural and Food Agency, Yu Sheng-feng, stated that preliminary assessments showed both the quality and quantity complied with regulations, with no issues detected. He added that current inspections found no evidence of expired rice reaching schools. However, the agency could not confirm whether there was collusion between officials and businesses. The low-quality rice is prone to contamination by aflatoxin, and if consumed, it could lead to liver and kidney diseases—consequences too severe to ignore. Without a thorough investigation, how can students eat with peace of mind?
Source: http://www. nownews. com/ 2009/ 05/ 19/ 327- 2453177. htm
United Daily News / Reporters Chen Weiting, Tang Funian / Changhua Report
May 20, 2009, 04:19 AM
The Changhua District Prosecutors Office investigated a public grain fraud case, with most suspects released on bail ranging from NT$100,000 to NT$150,000. Yeh Tzu-min from the Dajia Farmers' Association and Chang Jui-feng from the Jui Feng Rice Shop in Chiayi City were detained and prohibited from meeting visitors. Prosecutors also discovered that over a dozen elementary and middle schools in Taoyuan County, Taipei County, and Taipei City allegedly used old rice intended as animal feed in student lunch programs, serving it to children.
The Changhua County Education Department issued an urgent notice yesterday morning, instructing all elementary and middle schools to thoroughly inspect the rice used in student lunches to determine if any came from unscrupulous rice merchants. Deputy Director Fang Ping-kun stated that as of evening, no schools had reported issues, and no students refused to eat lunch after seeing media reports. However, the department will closely monitor further developments.
Changhua District Prosecutors Office spokesperson Chang Hui-chiung revealed that unscrupulous rice merchants allegedly bribed warehouse managers at farmers' associations in Tienchung, Dajia, Wuchieh, Lungtan, and Tashi to fraudulently obtain feed-grade and raw material rice allocated by the Agriculture and Food Agency. They then replaced unprocessed feed and raw material rice with "powdered rice" and repackaged it as new rice for sale.
Investigators found that from late 2006 to May 2009, the merchants bribed officials with NT$2 per kilogram of public grain, swapping 3,000 to 4,000 metric tons of public grain and illegally profiting over NT$10 million. Estimated bribes totaled NT$6 to 8 million.
During surveillance, authorities discovered that the Tashi Chin Yi Rice Mill mixed new rice with substandard rice, which was then distributed through Taipei's Lien Yu Grain Company as school lunch rice, reaching over a dozen elementary and middle schools in Taipei County and City.
Wiretaps also captured Lien Yu's owner, Ho Yueh-fen, complaining to Chin Yi's owner, Chien Chi-kun: "This time it's too outrageous—the cooked rice even smells bad."
Among the suspects, Hsiao Shih-ting, Lin Chih-ho and Lin Chih-pin (brothers from Fu Yuan Rice Mill), Chien Chi-kun, and Ho Yueh-fen denied wrongdoing. Lai Hsin-chu, a warehouse manager at the Changhua County Farmers' Association, admitted only to allowing merchants to take more rice than recorded but denied swapping public grain. Yeh Tzu-min from the Dajia Farmers' Association and contract worker Chen Yen-chung confessed to their crimes.
The court ruled last night that Lin Chih-ho and Lin Chih-pin be released on NT$150,000 bail, Lai Hsin-chu on NT$50,000 bail, and Cho Chu-hsiung (Hsin Yi Feng Rice Mill), Lin Chien-fu (Sui Feng Brewery), Chien Ta-chun (Chien Chi-kun's son), Lin Te-chang, Lin Yi-chang (brothers from Liu Ying Ku Feng Rice Mill), and Chen Yen-chung on NT$100,000 bail each. Hsiao Shih-ting, Chien Chi-kun, and Ho Yueh-fen were transferred to the Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office for further investigation. Personnel from the Tashi, Lungtan, and Wuchieh Farmers' Associations were released after questioning.
May 20, 2009, United Daily News
Source: http://udn. com/ NEWS/ SOCIETY/ SOC1/ 4915154. shtml
Collusion Between Officials and Businesses: Selling Old Rice as New to Elementary Schools for Profit; Investigation Extends to Agricultural and Food Agency
[Comprehensive Report from Merit Times] Personnel from farmers' associations in some counties and townships in Taiwan are suspected of colluding with grain merchants and rice mills to swap publicly stored rice under their custody, selling inferior-quality rice to elementary schools as part of school lunch programs for huge profits. The Central Mobile Task Force of the Investigation Bureau, acting on a tip-off and under the direction of Prosecutor Lin Yicheng of the Changhua District Prosecutors' Office, conducted searches and interviews yesterday. Significant developments in the case are expected in the coming days.
It is reported that the implicated farmers' associations include the supply and marketing department's Tianzhong warehouse of the Changhua County Farmers' Association, the Dajia Township Farmers' Association in Taichung County, the Wujie Township Farmers' Association in Yilan County, and the Longtan Township and Daxi Township Farmers' Associations in Taoyuan County. Those interviewed included supply and marketing department staff and warehouse managers.
Yesterday, the Central Mobile Task Force brought in over 20 individuals for questioning, with the highest-ranking being Hsiao Shih-ting, head of the industry section at the Northern Branch of the Agricultural and Food Agency. Investigators are urgently seeking to determine whether the Agricultural and Food Agency was aware of the situation but failed to report it or take necessary action.
Farmers' association supply and marketing departments handle public grain operations, purchasing rice annually under government plans to support farmers, which is then stored in association warehouses or entrusted to grain merchants' facilities. Over a year ago, investigators received a tip alleging that unscrupulous merchants colluded with some farmers' association personnel to pass off inferior-quality aged rice as new rice, supplying it to elementary school lunch programs to profit from price differences. The exact quantity involved will require further investigation.
Since aged rice differs significantly in flavor from new rice, kitchen staff assisting with school lunch programs should have noticed anomalies during cooking. Investigators will also look into whether any central kitchen personnel or school administrators were involved.
Farmers' association personnel noted that while aged rice and new rice have little nutritional difference, the former lacks aroma and texture. Moreover, the same amount of aged rice yields more cooked rice than new rice, though with poorer taste. Long-stored white rice may also become damp and moldy, risking contamination by aflatoxin-producing fungi, which can lead to chronic liver and kidney diseases if consumed.
They emphasized that the practice of swapping inferior rice for public grain has long existed. Another rampant issue involves applying to purchase outdated public grain under the guise of producing feed rice, only to sell it to schools for lunch programs or supply it to military units and prisons.
Source: http://www. merit- times. com. tw/ NewsPage. aspx? Unid=126476
School Lunch Scandal: Officials and Businesses Collude to Serve Animal Feed Rice
The nutritious lunches served to students turned out to be rice meant for pig feed! Changhua prosecutors uncovered unscrupulous businesses colluding with officials from the Agricultural and Food Agency to sell low-quality rice to schools for student meals. The implicated grain merchants protested, claiming the rice came from the Agricultural and Food Agency and couldn’t possibly be problematic. Meanwhile, elementary schools in northern Taiwan that may have purchased the substandard rice are on high alert, insisting their rice is absolutely fresh.
Workers carried bag after bag of white rice, all destined to become part of elementary school lunches. However, Changhua prosecutors found that this grain supplier was allegedly involved in a scheme with Agricultural and Food Agency officials to sell expired rice. The supplier insisted the rice they distributed was fresh and guaranteed to be safe, but prosecutors’ investigations revealed that the substandard rice may have already made its way to an elementary school in northern Taiwan.
Deputy Director of the Agricultural and Food Agency, Yu Sheng-feng, stated that preliminary assessments showed both the quality and quantity complied with regulations, with no issues detected. He added that current inspections found no evidence of expired rice reaching schools. However, the agency could not confirm whether there was collusion between officials and businesses. The low-quality rice is prone to contamination by aflatoxin, and if consumed, it could lead to liver and kidney diseases—consequences too severe to ignore. Without a thorough investigation, how can students eat with peace of mind?
Source: http://www. nownews. com/ 2009/ 05/ 19/ 327- 2453177. htm
Grain Scandal: Rotten Rice Swapped for Public Rations, Cooking Stinks
May 20, 2009, 04:19 AM
The Changhua District Prosecutors Office investigated a public grain fraud case, with most suspects released on bail ranging from NT$100,000 to NT$150,000. Yeh Tzu-min from the Dajia Farmers' Association and Chang Jui-feng from the Jui Feng Rice Shop in Chiayi City were detained and prohibited from meeting visitors. Prosecutors also discovered that over a dozen elementary and middle schools in Taoyuan County, Taipei County, and Taipei City allegedly used old rice intended as animal feed in student lunch programs, serving it to children.
The Changhua County Education Department issued an urgent notice yesterday morning, instructing all elementary and middle schools to thoroughly inspect the rice used in student lunches to determine if any came from unscrupulous rice merchants. Deputy Director Fang Ping-kun stated that as of evening, no schools had reported issues, and no students refused to eat lunch after seeing media reports. However, the department will closely monitor further developments.
Changhua District Prosecutors Office spokesperson Chang Hui-chiung revealed that unscrupulous rice merchants allegedly bribed warehouse managers at farmers' associations in Tienchung, Dajia, Wuchieh, Lungtan, and Tashi to fraudulently obtain feed-grade and raw material rice allocated by the Agriculture and Food Agency. They then replaced unprocessed feed and raw material rice with "powdered rice" and repackaged it as new rice for sale.
Investigators found that from late 2006 to May 2009, the merchants bribed officials with NT$2 per kilogram of public grain, swapping 3,000 to 4,000 metric tons of public grain and illegally profiting over NT$10 million. Estimated bribes totaled NT$6 to 8 million.
During surveillance, authorities discovered that the Tashi Chin Yi Rice Mill mixed new rice with substandard rice, which was then distributed through Taipei's Lien Yu Grain Company as school lunch rice, reaching over a dozen elementary and middle schools in Taipei County and City.
Wiretaps also captured Lien Yu's owner, Ho Yueh-fen, complaining to Chin Yi's owner, Chien Chi-kun: "This time it's too outrageous—the cooked rice even smells bad."
Among the suspects, Hsiao Shih-ting, Lin Chih-ho and Lin Chih-pin (brothers from Fu Yuan Rice Mill), Chien Chi-kun, and Ho Yueh-fen denied wrongdoing. Lai Hsin-chu, a warehouse manager at the Changhua County Farmers' Association, admitted only to allowing merchants to take more rice than recorded but denied swapping public grain. Yeh Tzu-min from the Dajia Farmers' Association and contract worker Chen Yen-chung confessed to their crimes.
The court ruled last night that Lin Chih-ho and Lin Chih-pin be released on NT$150,000 bail, Lai Hsin-chu on NT$50,000 bail, and Cho Chu-hsiung (Hsin Yi Feng Rice Mill), Lin Chien-fu (Sui Feng Brewery), Chien Ta-chun (Chien Chi-kun's son), Lin Te-chang, Lin Yi-chang (brothers from Liu Ying Ku Feng Rice Mill), and Chen Yen-chung on NT$100,000 bail each. Hsiao Shih-ting, Chien Chi-kun, and Ho Yueh-fen were transferred to the Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office for further investigation. Personnel from the Tashi, Lungtan, and Wuchieh Farmers' Associations were released after questioning.
May 20, 2009, United Daily News
Source: http://udn. com/ NEWS/ SOCIETY/ SOC1/ 4915154. shtml
Public Grain Swapped, Students Served Inferior Rice
[Comprehensive Report from Merit Times] Personnel from farmers' associations in some counties and townships in Taiwan are suspected of colluding with grain merchants and rice mills to swap publicly stored rice under their custody, selling inferior-quality rice to elementary schools as part of school lunch programs for huge profits. The Central Mobile Task Force of the Investigation Bureau, acting on a tip-off and under the direction of Prosecutor Lin Yicheng of the Changhua District Prosecutors' Office, conducted searches and interviews yesterday. Significant developments in the case are expected in the coming days.
It is reported that the implicated farmers' associations include the supply and marketing department's Tianzhong warehouse of the Changhua County Farmers' Association, the Dajia Township Farmers' Association in Taichung County, the Wujie Township Farmers' Association in Yilan County, and the Longtan Township and Daxi Township Farmers' Associations in Taoyuan County. Those interviewed included supply and marketing department staff and warehouse managers.
Yesterday, the Central Mobile Task Force brought in over 20 individuals for questioning, with the highest-ranking being Hsiao Shih-ting, head of the industry section at the Northern Branch of the Agricultural and Food Agency. Investigators are urgently seeking to determine whether the Agricultural and Food Agency was aware of the situation but failed to report it or take necessary action.
Farmers' association supply and marketing departments handle public grain operations, purchasing rice annually under government plans to support farmers, which is then stored in association warehouses or entrusted to grain merchants' facilities. Over a year ago, investigators received a tip alleging that unscrupulous merchants colluded with some farmers' association personnel to pass off inferior-quality aged rice as new rice, supplying it to elementary school lunch programs to profit from price differences. The exact quantity involved will require further investigation.
Since aged rice differs significantly in flavor from new rice, kitchen staff assisting with school lunch programs should have noticed anomalies during cooking. Investigators will also look into whether any central kitchen personnel or school administrators were involved.
Farmers' association personnel noted that while aged rice and new rice have little nutritional difference, the former lacks aroma and texture. Moreover, the same amount of aged rice yields more cooked rice than new rice, though with poorer taste. Long-stored white rice may also become damp and moldy, risking contamination by aflatoxin-producing fungi, which can lead to chronic liver and kidney diseases if consumed.
They emphasized that the practice of swapping inferior rice for public grain has long existed. Another rampant issue involves applying to purchase outdated public grain under the guise of producing feed rice, only to sell it to schools for lunch programs or supply it to military units and prisons.
Source: http://www. merit- times. com. tw/ NewsPage. aspx? Unid=126476