[Editorial] In the era of rice subsidies, we look forward to the rice industry's leap forward.

A long-standing wish of the rice industry has finally come true with the establishment of a rice relief fund. Three organizations responsible for production and distribution in rice-growing areas came together on the 17th to officially launch the Rice Voluntary Relief Fund Association, a body known as the Korea Rice Industry Association. The fact that rice industry workers have come together to create a relief fund to address the stagnant state of the rice industry is seen as a meaningful step towards overcoming the crisis and making a real change. The rice industry has been relying on government policies and failing to respond actively to market changes. However, it is not easy to respond quickly to rapidly changing consumer markets with government policies alone. Therefore, the need for a rice relief fund has been a continuous discussion within the industry, but it has not gained momentum until now. However, it is unfortunate that the implementation body is not 'farmers' but ...