Abstract
The actions producers and agricultural cooperatives (mainly in Iwate Prefecture) are taking in order to deal with changes in the agricultural market were examined. (1) In rice production, a few producers and agricultural cooperatives are responding to the health concerns of today's consumers by striving to produce a better quality rice. (2) With the opening of the beef market to imports, beef producers prefer to breed Japanese Black Cattle due to the superior taste of its beef. This high quality taste has enabled the price of these cattle to hold steady at high level. Meanwhile, the prices being paid for Japanese Shorthorn Cattle and for dairy cattle are falling. Producers breeding these cattle are trying to promote sales directly to consumers' groups, which then pay the producers a price exceeding the general market price. (3) Recently, vegetable production in Iwate Prefecture has been increasing. Iwate's climate is comparatively cool ; therefore, producers can raise vegetables using fewer chemicals. In addition, the labor market is relatively underdeveloped, ensuring the availability of an adequate supply of labor for these family-run oparations.
