The use of paddy for feed production has become an important component in Japan as part of the strategy for adjusting rice production, reducing abandoned cultivatable land, and improving feed self-sufficiency. Forage rice production has been promoted as a feed crop that can even be grown in wet paddy. However, it is indispensable for farmers to earn a profit from forage rice production and utilization if they are to continue paddy production for feed. It is therefore important to reduce forage rice production costs through the use of high-yield technology as a key method for earning a profit.
Therefore, the purpose of this report is to clarify the effectiveness of strategies for improving profitability by introducing high-yield technologies such as high-yielding varieties, extensive use of manure, and a new harvester which reduces harvesting loss. We also calculate the cost of forage rice production and utilization that includes transportation, feeding, and compost management, in order to determine the effectiveness of a strategy to decrease costs through the use of grazing.
Introduction of high-yielding varieties for feed grade rice and the use of the new harvester improves forage rice production profit, compared to the use of common varieties for food rice and a conventional harvester. The effect profits of the introduction of high-yield technology using extensive use of manure depends on the selling price of forage rice and the repayment of the cost of the harvester. High-yield technology using large manure doesn’t necessarily improve profit in the case of low forage rice prices and high repayment costs associated with purchase of a harvester.
The use of forage rice for grazing reduces its utilization cost conspicuously. In particular the use of forage rice for grazing when cultivated with high-yield technology the extensive use of manure cuts the per unit production cost by half when compared to the cost of purchasing and utilizing imported hay.

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This paper examines the evaluation of potential domestic consumer demand for cloudy apple juices produced in Aomori Prefecture when considering their standardization as an attribute. As a result, the following points are clarified.
First, the most important attribute of apple juices for respondents is the designation of domesticity, as well as the indication of product district. Approximately 70 per cent of respondents prefer the legal mandating of a country-of-origin label and apple GAP on juice as an indicator of product safety.
Ordered probit analyses of the influence of domesticity attributes reveal that whether the juice is produced by leading manufacturers, is a domestic product and comes from particular production districts encourage apple juice purchases by women who have trust in such attributes. There is also a similar tendency for elderly people, who are more knowledgeable about district brands, grades, domestic products, and production districts. Therefore, the domesticity attribute could play a significant role in assuring a sense of safety and security for consumers as Japanese society continues to age. In addition, the attributes of domesticity and product districts are highly evaluated by high-income consumers.
The results from probit analyses indicate that high-income respondents are significantly more likely to purchase cloudy, additive-free and not from concentrate apple juices. Estimation results also show that cloudy and additive free apple juices are more highly evaluated by smaller sized households. High-income respondents purchase expensive apple juices from Aomori Prefecture more frequently, while the elderly prefers additive-free juices, and not from concentrate juices are preferred by housewives. These results indicate a high consciousness of safety and security by the elderly and housewives.
We also find that those with high incomes support the legal mandating of a country-of-origin label and the standardization of the apple GAP. High-income and elderly consumers are more interested in legally mandating country-of-origin labels. This result could be an affect of the several Chinese food safety incidents in 2007 and 2008. The standardization of apple GAP is less important to students than to housewives who are comparatively more interested in food safety.
In sum, our study identifies the variation in purchasing patterns for cloudy apple juice by gender, age, household size, occupation and income. Our analysis identifies housewives, elderly, and those with high incomes as being more likely to purchase cloudy apple juice. It is highly recommended for Aomori Prefecture and those cooperatives involved in apply juice production to provide more information on their apple juices, especially to housewives and the elderly, in order to enhance their sales. High-quality apple juices are being produced. Therefore, while such juices should be privileged, the companies in Aomori should produce cloudy juices in accordance with high quality standards, and administrators should develop advertising strategies aimed at high income and other key consumer sectors.

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