JA Fukuokashi collaborates with pizza delivery chain: hot pizza with fresh surprise gift of flower

FUKUOKA, Apr. 25 – How about a special treat of a flower for people having pizza delivery at home? A new collaboration between an agricultural cooperative in Fukuoka Prefecture (JA Fukuokashi) and a local pizza delivery chain has begun, and if you order a pizza for home delivery, you are also receiving a flower as a gift from the JA. The coronavirus outbreak hit flower demand in Japan, but on the contrary, the use of food delivery services is increasing as more people stay home. So, JA Fukuokashi decided to combine them to encourage more people to enjoy flowers at home and create new flower fans. The local co-ops have … Continue reading

Posted in Cooperatives, Food & Agriculture | Comments Off on JA Fukuokashi collaborates with pizza delivery chain: hot pizza with fresh surprise gift of flower

Old cherry blossoms in full bloom decorating agricultural heritage

KANAGAWA, Apr. 2 – A someiyoshino cherry blossom tree in full bloom stands right next to “Kuji Ento Bunsui” in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture as if it’s looking into the water. The tree of approximately 90 years old has long been a witness to the cylindrical water diversion which used to support local rice farmers. This year, the blossoms started to bloom on March 15, 10 days earlier than usual. The water diversion is a facility to divide water for agricultural use into multiple directions. The cylindrical water divider in Kuji was built in 1941. The water drawn from the “Nikaryo Yosui” made in the Edo era used to overflow … Continue reading

Posted in Food & Agriculture, Photos | Comments Off on Old cherry blossoms in full bloom decorating agricultural heritage

Number of community organizations supporting residents in rural areas top 5,000 in Japan

TOKYO, April 29 – The number of “regional management organizations” which organize projects aimed at solving issues regarding rural communities totaled 5,236 in 742 municipalities nationwide in fiscal 2019, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications announced on April 28. Such organizations, which conduct activities to support local residents’ lives including encouraging interactions among elderly people, increased 449 from the previous year, topping 5,000 for the first time since the ministry started collecting data in fiscal 2015. The organizations are mainly created in each of the elementary school districts in agricultural and mountain villages and are operated autonomously by local residents to complement public services, organizing community networking events, community … Continue reading

Posted in Farm Policy, Others | Comments Off on Number of community organizations supporting residents in rural areas top 5,000 in Japan

Covid-19 pandemic shatters Kobe beef and Tajima beef producers’ dream for Olympic boost Price per kilo dips below 2,000 yen

HYOGO, Apr. 20 – The cherry blossoms were in full bloom on April 13, 2020, in Shiso City, Hyogo Prefecture, in the upper reach of the Ibo River, the origin of hand-made Ibo-no-ito somen noodles. “The flowers are the same, but they look totally different from two years ago,” said Takahiro Taniguchi, a 58-year-old owner of Taniguchi Cattle Farm, which has been in business in Shiso for 29 years. Then, he turned his eyes to a piece of paper in his hand. It was the list of the bid prices of the meat sold by his colleagues today, and the numbers in the note are all in the upper 1,000-yen … Continue reading

Posted in Farm Policy, Food & Agriculture | Comments Off on Covid-19 pandemic shatters Kobe beef and Tajima beef producers’ dream for Olympic boost Price per kilo dips below 2,000 yen

Farms to accept workers from tourism and restaurant industries with reduced jobs amid COVID-19 outbreak

NAGANO/AOMORI, Apr. 12 – As the agriculture industry continues to face severe labor shortage, moves are seen in some areas to dispatch workers from the tourism and restaurant sectors hit by the new coronavirus outbreak to work at farms. Because of the decrease in the number of foreign visitors and requests by authorities to refrain from making nonessential outings, it is getting increasingly difficult for firms in the tourism industry to maintain employment of their workers. On the other hand, farms are struggling to obtain workers, as the COVID-19 pandemic has prevented foreign trainees, mainly from China, whom they have relied on for labor, from coming to Japan. <JA Sakuasama … Continue reading

Posted in Farm Policy, Food & Agriculture | Comments Off on Farms to accept workers from tourism and restaurant industries with reduced jobs amid COVID-19 outbreak