Total revenue exceeds 200 million yen! Honoka Agricultural Cooperative Corporation holds its 2019 regular general meeting (6th term) through organization and bottom-up efforts!

Thursday, February 20, 2020

On Monday, February 10, 2020, the 6th regular general meeting of Honoka Agricultural Cooperative was held at the Sunflower Park Kitaryu Onsen Multipurpose Hall.

The general meeting started with the moderation and facilitating of the auditor, Yoshikazu Itagaki.

Opening remarks: Shigeki Mizutani, Representative Director

"Six years have passed in the blink of an eye. It is said that corporations reach a turning point in their sixth year. They get used to it, make compromises, and give up. I don't know what will happen to our corporation, but we have overcome this turning point year.

With Sakamaki also joining the group, things seemed a little easier, and we were able to enter our seventh year in earnest.

"Our special guest this time is Hase Makiko, assistant section chief of the Hokuryu Town Office's Industry Section, who has been on the Agricultural Committee and has lent her support since Honoka was founded six years ago. "We have also invited as guests the people who have been helping us at the JA Kitasorachi Hokuryu Branch, and accountant Kojima Accounting," said Representative Director Mizutani.

Guest introduction

・JA Kitasorachi Hokuryu Branch, Branch Manager Hoshino Tadao, Hokuryu Town Office Industry Division, Assistant Manager Hase Makiko, JA Kitasorachi Hokuryu Branch Finance and Mutual Aid Division, Manager Ota Hisashi, JA Kitasorachi Hokuryu Branch Materials Division, Manager Takeda Yuji, JA Kitasorachi Hokuryu Branch Agricultural Division, Manager Kawamoto Tomohiro, Kojima Accounting, Certified Public Tax Accountants Corporation, Representative Partner Kojima Takuya, and Okazaki Kenichi, Kojima Accounting, Certified Public Tax Accountants Corporation

A story from Takuya Kojima, Representative Partner of Kojima Accounting Corporation

"Currently, the structure of corporations is being reconsidered and is attracting attention. When I visit and talk to farmers all over Hokkaido, they all say that they are reaching the limits of a single-family corporation. Many of them say they want to create a solid organization as a corporation. Most of the consultations we receive now are mainly about how to create an organization. But it is difficult to organize in this way.

Honoka is well-organized

One of the great things about Honoka is that it is well organized. People are expected to create organizational charts and manage their organizations like Honoka.

"Honoka" is "bottom-up"

Another thing I feel is that "Honoka" is "bottom-up" rather than top-down.

The representative, Mr. Mizutani, doesn't tell everyone to do things this way, but everyone works together to produce "Honoka." This is something that other farmers can't easily do. I think this is what makes the "Honoka" corporation so great.

"I hope you will continue to do this and create a model corporation. This is something the CEO cannot do alone, and it is only possible with everyone's bottom-up support. I hope you will continue to create great corporations. I look forward to your continued support," said CEO Kojima, speaking of Honoka Corporation's wonderful strengths.

Election of Chairman

Mr. Hiroto Sakamaki was elected as chairman, and reports and discussions were held on the business report, balance sheet, income statement, and surplus disposal proposal for fiscal year 2019, the business plan for fiscal year 2020, and the election of officers for the millet production association.

Appointment of Secretary and Minute Signer

・Ryoichi Minamiguchi, Kotaro Nakayama, Nozomi Yamada

Report items

1. Awards from the Upland Farming Association

・On February 7th, "Honoka" received an award at the Agri Support Farm Crops Production Association General Meeting.

2. Awarded the Hokkaido Superior Rice Production and Shipping Competition

・As a production group, the Hokuryu Town Miwagyu Farming Association won the top prize for superior rice (award ceremony held in Sapporo at the end of February).

Agenda

1. Proposal No. 1

・Fiscal year 2019 business report, balance sheet, income statement, and surplus appropriation plan, as well as audit report

Business report for 2019: Explanation by Director Shigeyuki Nakayama

<2019 Overview>

February 4th: 5th Regular General Meeting
March 3rd: Greenhouse snow removal; lease begins - ends on the 7th
March 8th: Shiomi Construction starts snow removal and greenhouse construction ~ March 16th: Snow removal and greenhouse construction completed
April 14th: First melon planting (13 plants in total), rice sowing begins - ends on the 21st
・April 23rd: Start of paddy field plowing
May 5th: Sunflower oil sowing
May 10th: Sunflower nut sowing
May 17th: Rice planting begins, adzuki beans sowed
May 19th - May 20th: Soybean seeding
May 25th - May 26th: Rice millet sowing
・May 26th: Rice planting completed
・May 29th - 31st: Buckwheat sowing
June 8th: Landscape sunflower sowing
June 14th: Agricultural training at Dairy Farm Academy
July 12th: Agricultural training at Dairy Farm Academy
July 22nd: Agricultural training for junior high school students
July 28th: Agricultural Cooperative Tourism Experience Tour
August 6th: Visit from Tokyo Inua and Biei Libre
August 7th: Agricultural Cooperative Tourism Experience Tour
August 8th: Shimizu Himawari (Hokuryu Town Tourism Ambassador) visits
September 2nd - Sunflower nut harvesting - September 4th
September 17th: Rice millet harvest, sunflower oil harvest
・Rice harvesting begins on September 18th - October 11th
・October 2nd: Dairy Farm Academy Agricultural Training
・October 16th: Azuki bean harvest - October 18th
・October 25th: Sunflower nut sorting - October 29th
Yoshida Kiichiro barn renovation work, Numanosawa River Bridge construction completed, Shirinashi River Bridge construction completed
December 22nd: Year-end general meeting and party

<Production status>

・Rice total: 10,741a (Kitakurin: 7,423a, Nanatsuboshi: 5,134a, Yumepirika: 4,865a)
・Field crops: 3,689a (soybeans, buckwheat, sunflower oil, melons, sunflower nuts, autumn wheat, millet, adzuki beans)

Balance sheet, income statement, and appropriation of retained earnings (draft): Explanation by Director of the Kabata Laboratory

Total revenue exceeded 200 million yen for the first time.

・Total income: 203 million yen (paddy rice: 147 million yen, field crops: 15 million yen, work contracts: 12 million yen, miscellaneous income: 29 million yen)
・Retained earnings for the current period: 6.7 million yen

Audit report: Report from Auditor Mitsuharu Yamada

2. Proposal No. 2

・About the FY2020 business plan
・Snow removal

3. Proposal No. 3

・Election of officers for the millet producers' association
At the recommendation of the representative director, Asao Morishima was appointed as an officer of the millet production association.

Each proposal was approved unanimously.

4. Other: Explanation from Representative Director Shigeki Mizutani

Regarding the lack of successors and managers

Agricultural corporations in Hokkaido are facing the problem of a lack of successors, with young farmers not being nurtured. At Honoka, we hope to find young successors and continue to do our best while considering the next three years.

Considering income insurance

Regarding the comparison of income insurance and agricultural mutual aid, he said he would like to conduct multiple simulations and give it careful consideration before deciding whether or not to join.

Chairperson resigns and the meeting is closed

The general meeting ended without any problems. Afterwards, a social gathering was held.

With great strength and cooperation, the people at Honoka enjoy farming with smiles on their faces.
With great respect, gratitude, and prayers, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the great power of Honoka Agricultural Cooperative, which has generated a total annual income of over 200 million yen just six years after its founding.

Other photos

・Photos (28 photos) from the 2019 Honoka Agricultural Cooperative Association Annual General Meeting (6th term) are available here >>

Related articles

・Honoka Agricultural Cooperative Association Introduction Page
　

◇ Photography and editing: Noboru Terauchi Interview and text: Ikuko Terauchi