Abstract
The Matsusaka Agricultural Park “Bell Farm” was founded by Municipal Matsusaka with a 500 million yen invest and opened in 2004. Bell Farm was managed by the Incorporated Foundation of Bell Farm which was provided 50 million in stock from the municipality during the first 3 years. The joint stock company “Matsusaka Collaborative Farm” succeeds the management of Bell Farm from 2007 to 2012 by the result of public offering competition. The change in management was expected as Matsusaka Municipal reduced the subsidy to the farm due to budgetary cutbacks. The company adjusted to the subsidy reduction from about 100 million yen in the first 3 years to 80 million yen in 2007, 2008 and 50 million yen in 2009, 2010 and 2011 by various innovative devices of private business.
To compensate for the subsidy reduction, the company invested 159 million yen in a farmers’ market, barbecue restaurant, and other activities. The company is obliged to return the money to the bank within five years of the designated administrator system. In spite of these difficulties the company attained an attractive park in which 600 thousand people per year gather to eat, shop, and play. The farmer’s market is the core facility in the park with various roles, not only to sell fresh and reliable agri-product with 230 million yen sales per year, but also provide information such as how to cook the new vegetables, how to grow these agri-products, knowledge about healthy life, and so on. The challenge now is the various innovations as the private company goes ahead.
