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 | A recurring theme throughout the IFAJ 2007 congress has been our host nation’s focus on safe food. Food safety is one of the main pillars of Japanese agriculture, largely in response to the concern of the country’s consumers. Several food safety-related scares in recent years have greatly influenced the agri-food industry’s focus on producing safe food:   That is a question many Canadian school children don’t know how to answer…and according to Prof Shinichi Kobayashi from the Department of Animal Science at Nihon University, it’s one that stumps Japanese youngsters as well. According to Prof. Kobayashi, a survey of Tokyo school children showed that an astonishing 30% had no idea whether milk came [...] Japan’s key agricultural outputs include livestock, vegetables and rice, with fruits and flowers rounding out the top five. The country has the lowest food self-sufficiency amongst major developed countries, at 39%. This is partially due to a decrease in rice consumption (rice can be a self-sufficient crop in Japan), and an increase in the consumption of [...] Japan is made up of a series of islands, about 1/26th the size of Canada, and has a population of approximately 128 million people. This makes it the 12th most populated country in the world, with a population density of 343 people per square kilometer. Canada with its 30 million inhabitants, by contrast, has a population [...] Green tea has long been a staple in Japan, dating back about 1000 years. Elaborate tea ceremonies are one of Japan’s most traditional arts, and today, green tea is the nation’s most popular beverage. The last few years have seen a rise in canned tea beverages, making it a handy “on the go” drink. This tea [...] Our first stop of the day was a visit to Zen-noh fresh produce distribution centre. This state of the art facility was built in 2002 by JA, the Japan Agriculture Co-operative. JA helps its farmer members market their produce by using a unique system based on proposals. Before a crop is even in the ground, representatives [...] A splashy welcome reception featuring traditional Japanese culture officially kicked off the 51st IFAJ international congress last night. It was a milestone evening for IFAJ – the first ever congress in Asia, with a sold-out crowd of 240 agricultural journalists from 40 different countries. Words of weclome from IFAJ President David Markey of Ireland and the [...] |   | ||||
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