In Japanese livestock farming, there has been an increasing focus on the need to improve feed self-sufficiency rate, especially the self-sufficiency rate for concentrate feed. This study targets ear corn production, which is currently emphasized as domestic concentrate feed. Consequently, it examines the possibility of introducing ear corn production through integrated farming systems of arable and livestock in the regional agriculture of Abira town, Hokkaido. This possibility is studied from the viewpoint of farmland management in upland farms, as the number of farmers decreases in the region. The results show a further decrease in the number of farmers in the future, which would enhance the need for farmland maintenance and management. Additionally, if farmers introduce ear corn production, it will be possible to expand the labor-saving operational scale through labor extensive production. Consequently, labor saving will facilitate farmland management in the area. The introduction of ear corn production in the region by an integrated farming system of arable and livestock is expected to be an effective measure to promote both management stability, through income replacement of wheat as main crop, and farmland management, for not only dairy farms but also upland ones, considering the decline in the number of farmers.
