1999 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

The Family Farm and Local Society In Japan and The USA

Research Project

Project/Area Number	09045019
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B).
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Section	一般
Research Field	Agro-economics
Research Institution	HIROSAKI UNIVERSITY
Principal Investigator	KANDA Kensaku Agriculture and Life Science, Professor, 農学生命科学部, 教授 (10113705)
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha)	SIBUYA Chousei Agriculture and Life Science, Associate Professor, 農学生命科学部, 助教授 (60216033) CARPENTER VICTOR L. Humanities, Professor, 人文学部, 教授 (80142909) TAMA Shinnosuke Iwate University, the United School of Agricultural Science, Professor, 大学院・連合農学研究科, 教授 (20183072)
Project Period (FY)	1997 – 1999
Keywords	Family Farm / Local Economy / WTO / Agribusiness / Genetic Modified Organization / Sustainable Agriculture / No-till / Famaer's Market
Research Abstract	Over the past three we visited several states, but concentrated our field work in Tennessee, Arkansas, Maine, Minnesota and Michigan. Our purpose was to look at small to medium family farms, their survival strategies and their prospects. In the "field," we visited growers, shippers and processors, wholesale markets, farmers markets and other retail operations. We also visited a number of farm cooperatives, university and government research facilities, extension programs, Farm Bureau and other farm support organizations, as well as the National Farmers Union and other agriculture political action organizations. Issue #1 : The West Coast Behemoths. Traveling and doing research anywhere east of the Rocky Mountains makes one realize how powerful are the agricultural interests along the west coast. Issue #2 : The Niche. Talking to many small farmers makes one realize that they are having to develop market survey to survive. Issue #3 : Over expansion and Debt: Lessons of the Eighties. Issue #4 : the Evolution of Agricultural Co-ops. We visited a number of co-ops and talked to many experts. Several patterns/types emerged. Issue #5 : Government Policy and Competition. Government seems to be the farmer's best friend and worst enemy.