20世纪末，中国农业进入新的发展阶段，实施了农业和农村经济结构战略性调整的重大举措，取得了显著成就。党的十六大确立了全面建设小康社会的奋斗目标，明确指出建设现代农业是全面建设小康社会的重大任务之一。现代农业是继原始农业、传统农业之后的一个农业发展新阶段，具有丰富的内涵、鲜明的特点和四种主要型态。现代农业建设要面对新形势，采取新的战略对策。

By the end of the 20 century, Chinese agriculture entered a new development stage. China has put into practice strategic adjustment in agriculture and rural economy, and obtained notable achievement.The 16th Session of CCP pointed out that the development of modern agriculture is one of the important missions to build well-off society in an all round way. Modern agriculture is a new stage of development´ after primitive agriculture and traditional agriculture, with abundant content, vivid characters and four kinds main forms. Modern agriculture development will face new situation, new strategies and countermeasures should be adopted.