The State Council recently released a revised version of assessment measures for provincial governments’ work on farmland protection, to strictly protect farmland and defend the “red line”.

The assessment includes self-inspection, mid-term inspection and the final inspection.

Starting from 2016, every five years is a planning period. The self-inspection is conducted every year by provincial governments, and the mid-term inspection is conducted in the third year by assessment authorities.

The final inspection will be organized in the year after the planning period by the State Council.

The measures should become effective on the date of promulgation, replacing the former measures released in 2005.