농수산자조금법 제정에 따른 원예자조금 활성화 방안

Abstract

최근 농산물 무역 및 유통환경은 WTO, UR타결과 동시다발적인 FTA체결 등으로 급변하고 있으며 이러한 상황 가운데 정부가 시장에 직접적으로 개입할 수 있는 여지가 줄어들고 있다. 농산물 무역 및 유통환경변화로 생산자 단체들의 자율적인 시장대응 능력이 중요해지고 있다. 농축수산물 분야의 품목별 자조금 조성을 위한 정책은 1990년도부터 시도되어 왔다. 축산부문 자조금은 국내 최초로 1990년에 법제화가 이루어져 현재 활발하게 추진 및 활용되고 있다. 그러나 원예부문의 자조금은 생산자 및 생산자 단체의 인식부족 등으로 활성화되고 있지 않은 상황이다.

원예 분야에서 의무자조금 단체가 필요한 이유는 정부의 역할이 수급안정, R&D 분야, 생산자 단체 및 마케팅 조직 육성 등의 분야에 한정되어 있는 상황에서 품목의 모든 경제주체를 만족시킬 수 있는 정책 추진이 어렵기 때문이다. 향후 FTA 등 세계 무역자유화가 추진되면서 정부의 시장개입 여지는 점차 축소될 것으로 예상된다. 그러므로 원예분야도 생산, 유통, 소비 등과 관련된 중요하고 다양한 이슈를 해결하기 위해서는 의무자조금 단체가 출범되어야 한다.

이 연구는 원예 분야에 의무자조금 제도가 도입될 경우 ‘농수산자조금의 조성 및 운용에 관한 법률’을 현 실태에 적합하게 개선하기 위하여 문제점 및 발전방안을 제시하였다. 연구진은 원예 분야 의무자조금 도입과 법률적인 문제점 및 개선방안을 분석하기 위하여 여섯 가지 이슈를 중심으로 국내 및 해외사례, 선행연구를 참고하였다.

In the field of agricultural sector, policies for composing checkoff programs by groups of item have been carried out several times since 1990. For example, including articles about checkoff program in Rural Development Act on Special Measures, for the first time in korea, Checkoff programs of livestock sector was legislated. In the field of swine, hanwoo(korean cattle), poultry, dairy, checkoff programs are being actively promoted. On the other hand, it was started to enforce checkoff programs in horticultural sector by the law of ‘Agricultural and Fishery Marketing and Price Stabilization Act’. In 2009, businesses of representing groups separated by items was promoted so as to vitalize checkoff programs in horticultural crop sector. A lack of awareness of producers and producer organizations, However, hindered activation of checkoff programs. The purpose of this study is as follows. If existing representing groups separated by items and groups of checkoff programs in horticultural sector adopt mandatory checkoff programs in order to improve the competitiveness of their own items, in that case, it is necessary to analyze and observe problems and alternatives found in the law of ‘composition and operation of the Agriculture, Fisheries checkoff program’ in order to change the law to fit in the current status of horticultural sector. The law of 'composition and operation of the Agriculture, Fisheries checkoff program', however, is scheduled to be conducted on February 23, 2013, because it is the initial step, characteristics of the horticultural sector was not specifically reflected. with respect to introducing the law, six key issues are becoming important, which are ‘selecting target group who are contributed in mandatory checkoff program’, ‘sanctions when unpaid to mandatory checkoff program’, ‘expertise and independent status of bureau of mandatory checkoff program’, ‘subsidizing operation cost of bureau’, ‘evaluation of checkoff program’. In this study, those issues are analyzed by researching similar cases from abroad and previous study. Then, it is proposed that several ways of improvement and development of enforcement of the law. In chapter 2, legal considerations after introduce mandatory checkoff program are investigated. Current status and challenge are investigated. Then, implications are suggested. In chapter 3, overseas cases of checkoff program are examined. Those cases from the five countries of the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Australia, were surveyed. Overall cases are summarized in two point of view. One thing is that, in those five countries, commonly, they have focused on raising the size of the market in cooperation with economic entities established by groups of items. Another one is that they added a provision for checkoff program in related laws to emphasize the obligations and right to join in checkoff program. Also, their governments have continually conducted the role of management and supervision and distributed benefits generated from running checkoff program. In chapter 4, measures for developing checkoff programs are analyzed. Suggested 6 key issues about mandatory checkoff program earlier, anticipated problems after operating checkoff program by each issue are reported and improvement measures are proposed. Futhermore, proposed improvement measures are reviewed comprehensively to examine whether those are formed properly to legislate or not. Consequently, checkoff program in horticultural crop sector, because there exist a lot of distribution channel and lack of awareness about checkoff program, organizing producers, and vertical integration for combining marketing organization unlike livestock sector, it will be difficult to introduce checkoff system in short period. In spite of this limitation, it is necessary to introduce mandatory checkoff system in Korean horticultural sector, as promoting policies that can satisfy all of economic participant is difficult in a situation where the government's role is limited within five field, stabilization of demand and supply, fostering R & D, promoting producer and marketing organization. Overcoming current limitation of government policies, it can be expected that checkoff programs are widely used such as abroad cases from the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Australia. Finally, the basic direction of government policy should be established to provide policy implications for activating mandatory checkoff system. There are 4 basic directions proposed, voluntary participation of producers and producer organizations, system ensure the efficient implementation of policy initiatives, contribute to improve competitiveness of specific item, lead development of organizations through selection and concentration.

Researcher: Choi, Byoung-Ok E-mail address: bochoi@krei.re.kr