Chairman's Address(REPORTS AND DISCUSSION AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE SOCIETY IN 1994: A Re-Examination of the Structure of Agricultural Production)

This is the report of the presiding chairperson of the symposium entitled "Reexamination of the Structure of Agricultural Production." Agriculture in Hokkaido has changed since 1960. The average area of land managed by one farm has increased, and there has been a remarkable development of mechanization and agricultural facilities. On the other hand, Hokkaido now faces many critical problems such as an aging labor force, a lack of successors, a decline of soil productivity, and a heavy debt carried by many farmers. In December 1993, the Japanese government accepted the Uruguay Round of GATT. We are obliged by this agreement to import field crops, meat and dairy products and to lower customs duties. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Hokkaido Prefecture Office have announced guidelines with which they resolved to promote competition among farmers in the international market. In order to achieve this goal, they put an end to the system that has maintained a stable price for agricultural products. They say that large-scale farming, which lowers the cost of production and provides for efficient management, makes farmers more competitive. Facing many difficulties, farmers in Hokkaido are losing their confidence and hope for their future. However, the introductions of new techniques such as direct seeding of paddy fields, new milking systems and environmentally-friendly techniques have provided some hope