A Study of conditions and Factors Affecting the Formation of Large-scale Group Farming and Farm Contractor

1997 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 07660299
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Agro-economics
• Research Institution: Tokyo University of Agriculture
• Principal Investigator: NINUMA Katsutoshi Faculty of International Food Studies, Department of Bio-business Management and Information, Professor, 国際食料情報学部, 教授 (60078160)
• Project Period (FY): 1995 – 1997
• Keywords: agricultural organization / farm contractor / large-scale upland farming / corporate farming / financial structure / 財務構造

Research Abstract

Large-scale group farming and farm contractor attracted attention as pulling producer or supporter of production of Japanese agriculture. This study aimed at elucidating formation conditions and factors of large-scale group farming and farm contractor in Hokkaido, and approached to subject by case study.
In the study of large-scale group farming, it is able to conclude as follows :
1. These is few entry room for farm contractor to the area that the large-scale group farming which support regional agriculture. In those area, large-scale group farming which based on share holding of possession and joint using of machinery and facilities are advanced. Complete excursion of individual possession can continue these group farming.
2. Establishment of short-term crop rotation system (beat, potato, wheat and barley) and large-size mechanization technology.
3. Putting the target of management with productivity increasing.
4. Realized low cost and high income management.
5. Machinery introduction and land improvement in the region are introduced on planning for balance among organizations.
6. Agricultural co-operative administrated agriculture as a regional management center.
7. Accounting system and their book style are unified on whole organization.
In the future, enlargement of scale of management on these organizations can promote by introduction of the intensive crops.
Farm contractor is categorized into three types by management subject. These subjects are agricultural co-operative, institutional corporation and private enterprise. And their condition of foundation are four points : 1) opportunity of establishment is aging of farm labor and want of successor ; 2) rather demand is formed in the area of management of contractor ; 3) adopting the system which equipment investment in a short demand ; 4) both of individual farm management and farm contractor can have economical merits.
But there are some subjects left unfinished. Currently, there are two big issue : 1) assumption of profitable level and investment level particularily machine and facilities ; 2) employment of machine operators and its working system.