Roy McCallum wrote:
> how Japanese dairy farmers are currently grazing
and
> detail some of the specific problems Japanese
grazing dairy farmers need
> solved
Some of my personal observations. Only a small
percentage of dairy farmers graze in Japan (around
1% of the total number of dairy farmers, on the
island of Hokkaido where I live it is about 15%).
In Hokkaido there is lots of grass which can be
grazed but still many farmers keep their cattle in
dirty sheds, not utilising the grass around them.
One of the big barriers grazing faces is many
people in Japan don't see time as money (being
aware of costs), not just in regard to grazing.
The reason why baby sitters, house cleaners,
garden cleaners, etc. are not as popular here as
in NZ, etc. Many people do everything by
themselves, many dairy farmers think about the
milk volume produced without thinking about the
effort and cost of producing. Many people here
don't have a problem with working all day, without
making time to enjoy their personal life.
I have also found that a number of farmers think
that their farm animals are number one in their
life, and the animals kinda rule their life (like
the dog taking the dog owner for a walk, instead
of the other way around). In some other countries
many farmers see animals as tools for their
farming business, and they replace them when they
don't produce well, etc.
Not everyone is the same of course, there are
different types of Japanese peoople, but I think
those are some cultural differences which affect
the attitudes to grazing. Heavily subsidised
farming (the highest subsidies in the world?)
don't help new ideas either. The lack of high
skilled grazing consultants again doesn't help.
Often grazing consultants from other countries
visit Japan, but they also need more experience of
grazing in cold places, as in many areas in
Hokkaido the temperature drops below minus 30 C in
winter, so frozen soil affects the types of
pasture that can be grown here, etc. Fencing is
also challenging here, as in Sapporo where I live
it snows over 2m, fences get completely burried
under snow and it is also a lot of pressure on
them.
Mr Ochiai wrote:
> We are happy to get information about grazing or
arround that.
I think there is lots of information available,
but Japanese farmers need to learn how to search,
filter and utilise the it better. Also asking
specific questions helps to learn better. The
government in Japan should also support the
information exchange better. The government here
often wants free help from companies or
individuals, without willing to pay for
translation, research costs, etc.
Grazing related tours or farmstays to other
countries is also a good thing for learning
grazing. In regard to that I am organising a
dairy tour for a Japanese company this year.
Good marketing of grassfed is also a must.
Grassfed products are very pricey in Japan (it can
blow away some of you here when you hear the
prices), but many consumers here still don't
understand the benefits of grassfed, CLA, etc.-
they just think that grassfed is produced in clean
and happy environment. I am often asked by
Japanese consumers to explain why grassfed is so
expensive and what is good about it. I think
producers here should give more easy to understand
high quality information to consumers to educate
them. A lot of information in Japan is too
difficult to understand as people make it too
scientific sometimes for an average person to
comprehend. Unnecessary complicating things often
results in lack of understanding or even interest.
A lot of information here is producer centred and
not enough customer focused.
As some of you know, I have been involved in
promoting grazing in Japan for a number of years
now. I used to work for a Japanese company, but
now I have my own company which does many other
things apart from grazing promotion. In terms of
grazing support, just last month I wrote three
articles in Japanese which got published in
Yomiuri Shinbun national paper discussing problems
in Japanese agribusiness (I discussed grazing
there too), I have been giving lectures at
Japanese universities about agribusiness and
grazing. I also did a monthly AGRIBUSINESS for
ALL seminar two weeks ago on the topic of costs
cutting in agribusiness, and grazing was a big
part of that seminar. I have been also promoting
grazing on the radio for about three years, and
many farmers have been enjoying the programme.
So my support is more for new people who don't
know much about grazing (rather teaching Japanese
farmers how to graze properly). Grazing and even
farming has been too far away from non-farming
world here in Japan in many respects, I hope to
bring the two together as much as possible. For
graziers/consultants, etc. my support includes
sourcing good grazing related products, machinery,
equipment, introducing agri experts, searching for
new info, etc.
Many farmers are very successful in their grazing
here, and are enjoying their lifestyles much
better. I learn a lot from them. I hope more
and more non-grazing dairy farmers get aware of
their lifestyles, as it is one of the reasons why
they would enjoy the change. A lot of Japan has
very limited farming land, so as Switzerland as I
hear. Some farmers in Switzerland cut grass on
the street and load into their car to feed the
cows (saw it there). There is also a chance for
Japan to stop wasting yen on importing so much
feed, and utilise the free local grass better as
Japan is not short of grass.
As I said, just my perspective. I am sure others
might have a different point of view.
Natalia Roschina
Hokkaido, Japan
www.AGRIBUSINESS-for-all.com
