By: Lauren Schwab, Miami University

The International Collegiate Agricultural Leadership (I-CAL) program participants and leaders arrived in Japan on May 21. A joint program of National FFA Organization and the U.S. Grains Council, I-CAL 2014 was made possible through support from The Grains Foundation, which was established in 1983 by members of the U.S. Grains Council with part of its’ mission being to nurture the next generation of leaders in the agricultural and agribusiness sectors. While in Japan, program participants will increase our understanding of global agriculture and witness the role U.S. agriculture plays in the global economy.

USGC Director in Japan, Tommy Hamamoto provided an orientation on the Council’s role in Japan, as well as background information including Japan’s population, geography, language, government, industries and agricultural production. He also explained the important role Japan plays in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and its dilemma to balance the protection of agriculture with promotion of major export industries. Imports play a vital role in Japan’s food consumption making Japan one of the key player in the TPP negotiation.

Prior to starting a full itinerary of meetings with Japanese contacts, the participants received briefings from several of the Council’s key U.S. export partners in Japan to gain a broad perspective on the U.S. position in this market. We met with the U.S. Meat Export Federation and U.S. Soybean Export Council offices in Japan learn in depth about the challenges U.S. meat and soybeans exports face in Japan. Senior Agricultural Attaché Elizabeth Autry, and Attaché Evan Mangino updated the group on Japanese agricultural policy, imports and issues. From these sources, the group learned about Japan’s food consumption and challenges facing domestic agricultural production as valuable natural resources decrease and the Japanese farmer’s average age continues to increase.

On Friday, we began a series of meetings with key Japanese entities, beginning with Shin Inoue of JA Zennoh. Mr. Shin focused on JA Zennoh’s role in ensuring that necessary materials are supplied to farmers, including feed grains, while quality domestic products are delivered to Japanese consumers. Following the meeting, a trip to a Japanese supermarket showcased a vast array of agricultural products, including U.S. grains and meats which are consumes daily in Japan. The next week will be filled with similar briefings and farm tours and experiencing Japanese culture up close to gain a new understanding of U.S. agriculture on a global scale.