As farmers across the country started spring farming, the Supreme People's Court (SPC) released three typical cases on agricultural counterfeits on March 18 in a bid to better protect farmers’ rights and interests, as well as national food security.

The defendants in the three cases, which involved counterfeit pesticides, veterinary drugs and seeds respectively, not only violated the national quality supervision system for agricultural means of production, but also caused direct losses to agricultural production, impacted agricultural efficiency, farmers' income and rural stability, and endangered national food security; their acts were thus severely harmful.

People's courts have attached great importance to the trial of agricultural counterfeit cases and have adopted severe penalties for those crimes by increasing financial penalties on top of incarceration. The case release reflected the resolution of people's courts in cracking down on agricultural counterfeit-related crimes. Meanwhile, the people's courts at different levels effectively resolved conflicts and maximized protection of farmers’ interests via judicial measures in addition to performing their judicial functions.

The people's courts will continue to provide strong judicial service and guarantees for farmers to stabilize and increase agricultural production, steadily raise farmers' incomes, and ensure stability in rural areas.