File photo: CGTN

BEIJING, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- China will strengthen the harmless disposal of livestock and poultry that died of diseases to protect the environment and ensure food security, according to an official circular.

Local authorities should be responsible for helping farmers and disposal enterprises to deal with the difficulties in the process, said a circular issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the Ministry of Finance.

The circular called for efforts to optimize the layout of existing disposal plants and improve relevant technologies.

It also stressed more subsidy funds to boost harmless disposal.

Illegal behaviors such as discarding, trading, slaughtering and processing of livestock and poultry that died of diseases will be strictly punished, according to the circular.