A visit to Hokuryu Town, a town known for safe and secure rice production, led by Director-General Yusaku Hiragata of the Agricultural Products Bureau of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

Friday, June 21, 2024

On Sunday, June 16th, Director-General of the Agricultural Products Bureau of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Yusaku Hiragata, as well as representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Hokkaido Agricultural Policy Office, visited Hokuryu Town and exchanged opinions with members of the Honoka Agricultural Cooperative.

Welcome to Hokuryu Town and welcome Director Yusaku Hiragata!
(Hokuryu Town Hall, LCD display)

Thank you to all visitors

• Yusaku Hiragata, Director-General of the Agricultural Products Bureau of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
• Taketo Asami, Assistant Director, Land Use Agricultural Coordination Team, Planning Division, Agricultural Products Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
• Hajime Fukushima, Director of Hokkaido Agricultural Administration Office
• Mr. Kimitaka Sumi, Assistant Director, Production Support Division, Hokkaido Agricultural Administration Office

Profile of Yusaku Hirakata

Yusaku Hiragata was born on April 13, 1964 (age 60) and comes from a farming family in Takayama Village, Agatsuma District, Gunma Prefecture (Takayama Village: population 3,167 as of May 1, 2024). After graduating from the Faculty of Law at Keio University, he joined the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (April 1989) and was appointed Director-General of the Agricultural Products Bureau of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (July 1, 2021).

• March 1989 – Graduated from the Faculty of Law, Keio University
• April 1989 (Heisei 1) – Joined the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
• April 2005 – Researcher, Planning and Evaluation Division, Minister's Secretariat, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
• August 2006 – Researcher and Cabinet Secretary, Planning and Evaluation Division, Minister's Secretariat, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
• August 2008 – Research Officer and Cabinet Secretary, Policy Division, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
• January 2009 – Counselor, Minister's Secretariat, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
• October 2009 – Director of the Cooperative Organizations Division, Management Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
• June 2012 – Director of the Management Policy Division, Management Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
• October 2015 – Director of the General Affairs Division, Food Industry Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
• July 2017 – Director of the Budget Division, Minister's Secretariat, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
• July 2018 – Director of the Agricultural Production Department, Production Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and Assistant to the Director-General for Policy Coordination
• July 2021 – Director-General of the Agricultural Products Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

Honokano Agricultural Cooperative Office (Biba Beef)

The participants then moved from Hokuryu Town Hall to the Honoka Agricultural Cooperative Corporation office (Mibagyu) where they exchanged opinions.

Greetings from Director Yusaku Hiragata

"Thank you to Mayor Sasaki and everyone else for inviting us.

I have been in Hokkaido since yesterday, where I have been discussing the amendment to the Basic Act on Food, Agriculture and Rural Areas and rice paddy policy. In particular, I was recommended to visit Honoka Agricultural Cooperative in Hokuryu Town, so I decided to visit them even though it was a holiday.

Ensuring food security has now been included in the revised Basic Act on Food, Agriculture, and Rural Areas. I believe that Hokkaido is a major base for growing rice, as well as various other grains and vegetables.

I think it is extremely important to encourage people in some of Japan's best-producing regions to work hard to produce high-quality rice so that the Japanese people do not go hungry.

We would like to support you and look forward to your success. Thank you for your cooperation today," said Director Hiragata.

Exchange of opinions with Honoka Agricultural Cooperative

Overview of Hokuryu Town, Hokkaido

• Location:Approximately 100km north of Sapporo, approximately 50km west of Asahikawa
• Population:1,612 people, 785 households (as of June 1, 2024)
• Number of farm households:Approximately 140 units (as of April 1, 2024)
• Cultivated land area:2,977ha
  (Rice paddies 1,669ha, fields 1,308ha: buckwheat 49ha, soybeans 260ha, wheat 230ha)
• Average cultivated area per household：21.3ha

JA Kitasorachi, Minoru Nagai, Representative Director of the Hokuryu District
Explanation of Hokuryu Town's rice "Sunflower Rice"

Winner of the Grand Prize in the Collective Organization Category at the 46th Japan Agriculture Awards

"In 2016, the Hokuryu Sunflower Rice Producers Association won the Grand Prize in the Collective Organization category of the 46th Japan Agriculture Award.

The Japan Agriculture Award is sponsored by JA Zenchu, JA Prefectural Federations and NHK, and recognizes farmers and farming groups who aim to establish Japanese agriculture, are actively working to reform and develop management and technology, and are contributing to the development of their local communities.

"The Hokuryu Sunflower Rice Producers Association was awarded the Grand Prize in recognition of its town-wide efforts to reduce pesticide use, its acquisition of the JAS agricultural product production information disclosure standard, and its town-wide sales promotion activities.

Hokuryu Town has a long history of environmentally friendly rice cultivation, and since 1988, when pesticide regulations were still lax, the town has been actively engaged in organic farming, reduced pesticide use, and pest-free cultivation.

Hokuryu Town has declared itself "a town that declares safe food production to protect the lives and health of its citizens," and the Agricultural Committee, Land Improvement District, and Hokuryu Town have worked together to cultivate safe agricultural products.

The Sunflower Rice Producers Association has obtained the JAS standard for agricultural products that require production information disclosure, and has disclosed all information to consumers.

Of the 140 farm households in the Sunflower Rice Producers Association, 100 are rice farmers, and all of these rice farmers are working to comply with the JAS standards for agricultural products that require production information disclosure.

"Hokuryu Town is the only town in the country where all of the town's production cooperatives have been certified," said Nagai, representative director of the Hokuryu district.

Pioneer: Ryoji Kikura (former representative director and chairman of JA Kitasorachi and honorary resident of Hokuryu Town: from the handout distributed on the day)

In 1973, the late Toru Goto and Ryoji Kikura (then chairman of the Hokuryu Town Agricultural Cooperative Association) began cultivating rice using natural farming methods.

Ryoji Kikura advocates the idea that "food is life" and"Quality control of production conditions"He emphasized the importance of

"Original food lives on powerful water, supported by mountains, trees, and greenery. The foundations of agriculture are to not degrade or pollute the land that has been passed down to us, to hone the farmer's spirit that protects your life, and to nurture those who will carry it on," he repeatedly says.

In June 1988, at the "Farmers' Meeting to Protect the Lives and Health of the People," the youth division of the agricultural cooperative made a declaration regarding safe food production.

As a rice-producing region, producers work together to cherish the idea that "food is life," and use their hands, skills, and hearts to produce safe food for people, thereby protecting and nurturing "life, food, the environment, and livelihoods," and aiming to contribute to people, the region, and society.

Organic JAS technology (from the handout distributed on the day)

• Based on soil preparation, we improve the physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil, and work to predict the occurrence of pests and diseases.
• Weeding is done by plowing twice and using a weeder.
• Use biological pesticides and mud oil cleaners to combat pests.

Rice seed hot water sterilizer

"As one of the techniques for organic farming under the JAS standard, we were the first to adopt the 'hot water sterilization machine for rice seeds.' Seed sterilization is a necessary step in reducing the use of chemical pesticides, and by using this hot water sterilization we can limit the amount of pesticides used.

• One method of disinfecting rice seeds without relying on chemical pesticides is hot water disinfection.
• JA Kitasorachi Hokuryu Branch introduced a complete hot water disinfection plant with subsidies from the prefecture and Hokuryu Town.
• Hot water disinfection kills all bacteria by sterilizing seeds in 60°C water for 10 minutes.

"We handle organic rice and specially cultivated rice, which accounts for around 10% of our rice production. Among them, our pesticide-reduced rice, 'Kitakurin,' can be grown using only four pesticides (compared to the 22 pesticides used in conventional farming), and we sell it as safe and secure rice," explained Nagai, Hokuryu District Representative Director.

Color sorting machine at the Hokuryu Brown Rice Bulk Facility (from the handout distributed on the day)

At the Hokuryu Brown Rice Bulk Facility, a new system has been installed to improve efficiency in tasks that had previously been done manually.

• To remove foreign matter, the entire amount is processed through a color sorter
• Contamination prevention devices installed on all lines
• Introduction of a traceability system and automated identification of producers

By entering the lot number written on the sunflower rice bag on the JA Kitasorachi Hokuryu Branch/Agricultural Product Production Information Disclosure JAS website, you can find detailed product information, such as the producer's name, photo, harvest date, names of pesticides and fertilizers used, number of times and amount used, and a map of the rice paddy field.

The brown rice that is dried at the farm and brought to the facility is first subjected to a "voluntary inspection" by JA Kitasorachi staff. The protein percentage and grain size are determined using an inspection machine, and the information is processed by computer.

Acceptance criteria for brown rice

• Protein value (4 categories), whole grain size (4 categories)
• Adjustment rank (5 categories), variety (13 categories)
• Product identification number (8 categories) General cultivation (by variety)
• Organic JAS (by variety) Specially cultivated (by variety)
  　
• Cultivation category x protein x grain size x adjustment rank = 3,500 varieties of rice available for shipment
• In actual results, 335 types of non-glutinous rice and 29 types of glutinous rice were collected during sorting at the time of receipt.
• There are 115 varieties for sale (103 varieties of non-glutinous rice and 12 varieties of glutinous rice).

Why go to such lengths to sort and collect the items?

1. From the producers' perspective, it is rewarding to have the rice they have worked so hard to cultivate sorted. This also leads to an increase in the collection rate for JA.
2. From the consumer's perspective, it is recognized as a production area that can meet various needs.

Sunflower Rice's Commitment (From the handout distributed on the day)

1. The rice farmers in Hokkaido are of a high standard, and to be honest, there is almost no difference in taste.
2. At the JA Kitasorachi Hokuryu branch, only the rice that meets the highest quality standards, such as the protein content, which is said to affect the taste, is shipped as "Sunflower Rice." This ensures that the taste is consistent and the rice stored in a low-temperature warehouse can be delivered with the same fresh rice flavor.
3. 100% of the rice is collected at the facility and is sorted using a color sorting machine to remove any foreign matter, so it is not only delicious but also safe rice.

Exchange of opinions: Use of GPS in smart agriculture

❂ Nagai, Representative Director of the Hokuryu District"With the number of producers decreasing nationwide, we are now in a situation where we need to adopt smart agriculture to save labor and produce high-quality products. This town is surrounded by mountains, so there are winding areas in the middle and mountainous areas, and if we were to adopt ICT, it would be difficult to secure GPS signals.
During the rice planting season this spring, there were incidents of GPS malfunction. Rumor has it that this was due to the effects of a solar flare. The GPS behaved differently than usual, not moving in a straight line, but meandering, eventually stopping and losing its settings on about 10 occasions.

❂ Director Hiragata"Currently, what percentage of the total locations do you think GPS can be used in?"

❂ Nagai, Representative Director of the Hokuryu District"I think about 60% of the data is usable on normal flat land. With a GPS that measures height, I think it's less than 50%."

❂ Director Hiragata"Looking at the view from the train window, I could see that there were large plots of farmland, and it looked like it would be a lot of work to level them out. I think that the installation of base stations also needs to be coordinated by not only the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, but also the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, which has jurisdiction over local governments and other non-agricultural organizations. I would like to work on this while being aware of these issues."

About the Honoka Agricultural Cooperative Corporation - Business Overview: Explanation by Representative Toshimitsu Yamada & Materials Distributed on the Day

"In 2012, Honoka Agricultural Cooperative Corporation began joint work and accounting for paddy rice farming with five farms aiming to incorporate.

The company was registered with the Legal Affairs Bureau and established in 2014. The expansion allowance at the time was used as preparation funds. They also started selling fruit and vegetables, and over the course of three years they have become a unique corporation specializing in sunflowers. Initially, revenue was around 150 million yen, but now it has exceeded 250 million yen. There are expenses overall, so there is not much revenue. We are not making any profit (laughs),” says CEO Yamada.

What is a corporation of agricultural cooperatives?

Among agricultural production corporations, agricultural cooperative corporations have a different system and structure from corporations, and are cooperatives based on the principle of equality.

Members

• Investing members:9 people
• New farmers:5 people
• male:10 people (2 in their 20s, 2 in their 30s, 2 in their 40s, 1 in their 50s, 3 in their 60s)
• woman:8 people (20s to 60s)
• Other part-time jobs

Cultivated area in Reiwa 6: 17,318a (approx. 4km x 4km)

• Paddy rice:12,268a
• Soybean:960a
• Autumn wheat:442a
• Sunflower edible:187a
• For sunflower oil:357a
• Landscape Sunflowers:148a
• House Melon:135a
• Millet:406a
• Green manure, hotbeds, etc.:1,170a
• vegetables :28a
• total :17,318a
  Approximately 4km x 4km = 340 Tokyo Domes

Main activities from March to October

• Agricultural experience exchange with university students
• Inspection and harvesting experience
• Accepting agricultural trainees
• Girls' get-together/swimming
• Farm work and occasional barbecues

Quote from Honoka Agricultural Cooperative Instagram(Instagram here>>)

March: Tents were put up in the greenhouses. Collaborative work by members increased efficiency.

May: Honoka Cherry Blossom Viewing Girls' Gathering (at Mihoushi Shrine) A harmonious, family-like cherry blossom viewing party that warms the heart.

May: Rice sowing and planting celebrations, celebrations after the work is completed with everyone united in one heart.

August: Honoka Girls' Costume Bon Odori Festival - Join the Virtual Bon Odori Festival and Gather Feminine Power

December: Members' trip - smiling faces as they enjoy themselves with their families

Message to all young people (from the handout distributed on the day)

Rice fields and farms are not food production factories. Agriculture is not like making cars or televisions on an assembly line.

Honoka was established to protect and nurture ourselves, the people around us, our natural environment, and Hokuryu Town through agriculture.

exchange of opinions

❂ Director Hiragata"Honoka-san has a good balance of male ages, and many young people from outside the town are starting to farm. Starting a new farm takes courage, so what is the secret to these people settling down and starting farming here?"

❂ Shigeki Mizutani, former Honoka representative"I think young people want to work here because it's fun. Most of the young people who come here for training and study say they want to work here. The agricultural employment rate in Hokkaido is low, but it's high here. Every year we try to pass on the farming tradition to the younger generation."

❂ Director Hiragata"The recent amendment to the Basic Law has led to a movement to produce as much domestically as possible rice, wheat, soybeans, and other crops. It has also sparked a movement to reconsider fertilizers, such as compost.

The agricultural workforce is currently 1.2 million people, but estimates suggest that this will fall to 300,000 by 2040, a quarter of the current figure.

I believe that in the future we should seriously develop and support agricultural support service entities, organizations that take on contract work.

Nowadays, there is talk of smart agriculture, but it is expensive. Equipment is updated on a regular basis, so it would be difficult to get individual farmers to purchase new equipment.

I think that in the future, we will see an increase in the use of such smart agricultural machinery, with farmers only undertaking the tasks of sowing, pest control, harvesting, etc., and using the latest agricultural machinery.

Honoka's role is not only to manage the business itself, but also to develop it into a partial contract business or to form an employee structure.

Until now, subsidies have mainly been paid to agricultural managers when introducing machinery, but from now on, we will also actively provide subsidies to organizations that undertake contract work when introducing machinery.

Furthermore, under the Smart Agriculture Technology Utilization Promotion Act, a scheme will be put into place next year that will enable support from the financial tax system. I believe that we must strengthen agricultural support service providers."

❂ Mizutani"We had anticipated taking on contract work when we first established the company, but as the company has grown in size, we are currently fully occupied with our own affairs."

❂ Hiroki Yoshioka, Chairman (Hokuryu Town Agricultural Committee)"We sometimes receive requests to plant seedlings, but we are fully occupied with our own work. It may become difficult if we do not ask organizations such as the third sector to do the work."

❂ Director Hiragata"Over the past 30 years, the standards of Hokkaido's rice farmers have improved considerably. Whether it's Yumepirika, Fukkuriinko, or Kirara, the rice is delicious, and I think it's a truly wonderful effort.

The great thing about Honoka is that she not only trains the second and third generation of farmers who will carry on the farming business, but also attracts and trains people from outside Hokkaido who are unfamiliar with agriculture but who want to try farming.

We hope that everyone will join forces to produce food for Japan and that many people will enter the agricultural industry. We would like to support them."

Field inspection

As time was limited, we ended the discussion and went to touch the soil in the rice millet field next to the office.

After this, we moved to Sunflower Village for a tour!

After inspecting the fields of Honoka Agricultural Cooperative, the group toured the Sunflower Village before leaving Hokuryu Town and heading to Asahikawa Airport.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Director Hiragata and everyone else who took time out of their busy schedules to come to Hokuryu Town, speak directly with producers, and get a feel for the atmosphere in the fields. Thank you very much.

It is with boundless love, gratitude, and prayer that this wonderful visit, where producers could exchange and share their passionate thoughts about the precious agriculture that nurtures life in the midst of Mother Nature, take place.

YouTube videos

Other photos

Click here for photos (25 photos) of Yusaku Hiragata, Director General of the Agricultural Products Bureau of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and others, and of Kurimachi >>

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◇ Interview and text: Ikuko Terauchi (Photography and editing assistance: Noboru Terauchi)