Tag Archives: Feature

【Feature】 Sleeve covers – an idea for fashionable farm work outfits (Jan. 9, 2014)

Posted on 2014-01-09 by The Japan Agricultural News

Students of Wayo Women’s University in Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture, have been designing fashionable and practical outfits for farmers, based on their experiences at agricultural workshops and a survey they conducted on farmers. The university has been holding agricultural workshops for their students since the 2011 school year as a three-year project. Wakana Sawadaishi, 23, designed sleeve covers with adjustable length to protect the arms and clothing from dirt and debris. The covers, which were displayed at the university’s culture festival, attracted attention of many visitors. Sawadaishi chose a pink fabric with flower prints, because she wanted a wearer to feel happy whenever she sees her arms during farm work. Lower … Continue reading →

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【Series】 The Common Agricultural Policy after 2013 in EU: Part 2 (Nov. 13, 2013)

Posted on 2013-11-13 by The Japan Agricultural News

  Interview with Dacian Ciolos, European Commissioner for Agricultural and Rural Development Q. What is the aim of introducing a new system under the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy to take account of environmental concerns? A. We should not focus only on short-term competition and economic benefits and use up natural resources which support agricultural sustainability. We adopted “greening,” direct payments to farmers who take environment protection measures. European consumers are asking for environmentally friendly agriculture, as well as food security and high-quality food products. Land is used by farmers to cultivate, but it is also a public possession of people as a whole. Q. Focus on environmental concerns seems … Continue reading →

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【Series】 The Common Agricultural Policy after 2013 in EU: Part 1 (Nov. 13, 2013)

Posted on 2013-11-13 by The Japan Agricultural News

  EU’s agricultural policy faces pressure to change amid budgetary constraints and increasing number of member states Akihiko Hirasawa, chief researcher at Norinchukin Research Institute Co., said that until now, the European Union had been adjusting its Common Agricultural Policy scheme so that it would be consistent with the global trend to liberalize agricultural trade. But amid staggering negotiations under the World Trade Organization and rising prices of agricultural products in the global market, Hirasawa said the new CAP has undergone reform to focus more on the circumstances within the region, including environment, animal welfare, support for young farmers, fairness, consideration for taxpayers and strengthening negotiating power of farmers against … Continue reading →

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【Feature】 Tackling crop damage by wildlife – ripped fences are a headache for farmers (June 18, 2013)

Posted on 2013-06-18 by The Japan Agricultural News

  Farmers’ efforts to prevent crop raiding by wild animals have often ended in vain despite a large amount of public funds and manpower put into them. The Japan Agricultural News reports on farmers in Hokkaido troubled by wild deer. Thousands of kilometers of deer prevention fences, dubbed the “Great Wall of China,” are stretched around farmlands in the eastern part of Hokkaido. In Watenbetsu district of Shiranuka, Kazushi Ishiguro, a 58-year-old dairy farmer, is busy repairing the fences. “If you drive at night, you can see a herd of 20 to 30 deer lit up by headlights,” Ishiguro says. The deer enter farmlands through broken-down fences and settle down. … Continue reading →

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