Whole rice plants can be fed to cattle as whole crop silage (RWCS). By an “integrated farming system of arable and livestock” is meant the following: (1) Arable farmers supply RWCS to livestock farmers, where feed rice is harvested and processed by the local agricultural contractor; (2) Livestock farmers supply cattle waste compost to arable farmers, where compost is applied to feed rice cropping paddies by the local agricultural contractor. The farming system is expected to supply multilateral benefits such as improving domestic feed self-sufficiency, recycling cattle waste, and conserving paddy fields, So the government has promoted production and utilization of feed rice by subsidies. This study intends to construct an econometric model of the farming system and examine how the impact of external factors affect feed rice production. The econometric model was specified as follows: (1) Livestock farmers are assumed to minimize cost subject to livestock product output constraints, where constant elasticity substitution production function is applied to capture the imperfect substitution between RWCS and other coarse feed; (2) Arable farmers are assumed to choose feed rice output levels to maximize profit; (3) Local agricultural contractor is assumed to keep the balance of revenue and expenditure. The experimental simulation was implemented with this model, which quantified the impact of subsidy policy reform, improvement of feed rice productivity through introduction of direct planting technology, and price climb of other coarse feed.

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It has recently become considered to be both educational and essential for children to experience certain aspects of agricultural work. Actually such programs, especially in primary schools, have been gradually increasing in number in various places in Japan.
The purpose of this study is to analyze the effects of emotion and interest of agricultural experience for children. This study focuses on how the different locales influence the effects of agricultural experience on emotion and interest of children, from case studies of three urban primary schools which are located in typical locales of agricultural experience. I carried out my research by hearing investigation and by participant observation to examine the actual contents of those cases, and questionnaire surveys for urban schoolchildren to quantitatively analyze the effects of emotion and interest of agricultural experience.
The conclusions are as follows:
1. As a result of analysis of quantification theory type II, the effects are influenced by the places where children experienced agricultural work.
2. Agricultural experience in a “suburb area” had positive effects on “powers of observation and scientific knowledge about nature and creatures”, and “understanding about agriculture and rural area”. On the other hand, agricultural experience in a “rural area” had positive effects on “stability of emotion” and “intention to live in a rural area”, and agricultural experience in an “urban area” had positive effects on “activeness and independence”.
3. These differences come from the individual contents, which the different locales of agricultural experience have, especially such as quantity, frequency, and length of agricultural experience, according to hearing investigation and participant observation.
4. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the place and contents of agricultural experience accordingly to the expected effects. From this study, for example, if you aim to make children more emotionally stable, the program of agricultural experience in a rural area is more effective.

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The branding strategy of local agricultural, forest, and marine products is useful for preserving the tradition of local producers and promoting the production. What is important here is qualification of regional brand, which is valued not only in terms of product attribute but also its tradition and relationship among people in its production and distribution. The purpose of this paper is to examine the contents of the distinctive quality of regional brand and the relationship between a traditional area and a new area of the production. In the light of convention theory, this paper analyzes the logic of justification on qualification of regional brand through a case study on a traditional area and a new area of Kamo-nasu production. The logic of justification on qualification in the new area is different from that in the traditional area, therefore both areas can coexist. Additionally, the logic in the new area serves as a stimulus for that in the traditional area, and the logic in the traditional area supports that in the new area. The relationship between the two areas of production can be interpreted as a strong and harmonious relationship of coexistence.

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This study analyzes farm management for advancing the careers of female farmers from the view that their growth as professionals is necessary to develop both the farm business and regional agriculture. Firstly, three factors which prevent female farmers from advancing their career were clarified by reviewing other studies. These factors are based on the financial unity of “the farm business and the household economy” which is one of the features of Japanese family farms. This tends to subordinate the position of female farmers in the farm. Secondly, case studies were conducted by applying the concept of a “mentor” which has been used in the area of management studies of firms in other sectors. As a result, we arrived at four findings In the area of human resource management in family farms: 1) “Partners” have to work to advance the career of the female farmers by assisting them in both the household and farm management. In the farm management, teaching skills, evaluating performances of the female farmer, and scheduling tasks are Important roles of the partners. 2) Evaluating the performance of the female farmer correctly and positioning her as a precious human resource is necessary. 3) Developing farm business by utilizing career of the female farmer is highly effective for both the farm business and advancing her career. 4) The function of mentors from outside is important for female farmers who do not have other careers.

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