Línzé County in Zhāngyè City, Gān sù Province, is one of China's largest corn seed production bases. Leveraging the unique natural advantages of the Hexi Corridor, the area has developed a modern corn seed industry chain integrating research, production, processing, and sales.

On March 13th, a report by China National Radio revealed that multiple villagers have complained about being forced to pay an annual construction fee of 200 yuan per mu for corn seed production farmland, a deduction set to continue for 15 consecutive years, during local efforts to advance agricultural field construction projects.

Following the report's broadcast, the Gān sù Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs immediately dispatched a working group to the area to verify the situation and guide local authorities in implementing corrective measures. The Standing Committee Member, Secretary of the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection, and Director of the Municipal Supervisory Commission of Zhāngyè City went to Línzé County to conduct a higher-level investigation and oversee the rectification process.

Currently, Zhāngyè City has established a special task force to conduct on-site investigations and verification, aiming to fully understand the circumstances and handle the matter appropriately in accordance with laws and regulations.

Reporters found that similar deductions also occurred in villages such as Sān'èr Village, Píngchuān Village, and Lúwān Village in Píngchuān Township, all involving 200 yuan per mu annually for 15 years. Multiple villagers from Lúwān Village stated that all eight of the village's resident groups had this money deducted, labeled as "land leveling and construction fees."

One villager, using the pseudonym Dù Shùxué, who cultivates 7 mu of corn seed land, reported having 1,400 yuan deducted from his annual seed payment. "They said there would be no deductions during the land leveling, but after it was done, they started deducting 200 yuan per mu," he said.

A detailed list of various corn seed deductions obtained by reporters shows an item labeled "high-standard farmland loan repayment." The amounts deducted from farmers ranged from nearly one thousand yuan to over twenty thousand yuan, with larger cultivation areas corresponding to higher deduction amounts.

However, during visits to Línzé County, reporters found that in other townships where land leveling also occurred, farmers bore no costs. For instance, villagers from Shènglì Village, Xuānwēi Village, and Chángzhuāng Village in Xīnhuá Township all stated that no fees were deducted from farmers for land leveling projects several years ago.

Multiple villagers from Xuānwēi Village also mentioned that their village conducted land leveling in two batches in 2021 and 2023. Initially, a fee of 200 yuan per mu was proposed, but villagers did not agree, and the matter of collecting fees was subsequently dropped.

The local area has also seen instances of raising funds from farmers for other agricultural field construction projects. Taking the 2025 high-standard farmland construction project in Nuǎnquán Village, Yānuǎn Township as an example, several villagers claimed farmers are responsible for a construction fee of 700 yuan per mu, to be deducted over 5 years, with 150 yuan per mu per household deducted last year.

Beyond Píngchuān Township, other townships have also raised funds from farmers for high-standard farmland projects. According to the Línzé County government website, in 2025, the county aims to implement high-standard farmland covering 33,000 mu (3,000 mu newly built, 30,000 mu upgraded), with a total project investment of 110.3425 million yuan. This includes 85.3 million yuan in central and provincial farmland construction subsidy funds and 25.0425 million yuan in self-raised funds from the project area's residents.

According to the 2023 "Opinions of the Gān sù Provincial People's Government Office on Further Strengthening High-Standard Farmland Construction," county (city, district) governments are required to allocate funds at a standard of no less than 300 yuan per mu. In response to this regulation, Sòng Zìxióng explained, "Those who benefit should contribute. The annual subsidy funds for high-standard farmland are limited, so the shortfall portion is made up by the masses."