The Abe government’s agriculture policy is temporarily crippled; suspended is the plan to precede fostering further competitiveness rather than protecting agriculture and farmers. Opposing voices raised by farmers and consumers as well have succeeded in halting enactment of the bill to amend the Seeds and Seedlings Law during the recently adjourned ordinary session of the Diet. The bill is put on the agenda for next debates.

POLICY TO PUT JAPANESE AGRICULTURE ON SALE

The Abe government has proclaimed that ‘Japan could make herself the best place for businesses to make money’. The policy has been implemented at the expense of the working population in the country. The agricultural sector and farmers are exposed to risks, too: recent enforcing events include abolition of the Main Crop Seeds Act and legislation of the Agricultural Competitiveness Strengthening and Support Law.

Abolition of Main Crop Seeds Act

The law obligates the state and local governments to take responsibility for seed distribution to farmers of major crops for a purpose of a stable supply of rice, wheat and soybeans. It was legislated soon after the WWII, in 1952, to set up agricultural experimental stations and other facilities in every prefecture. They have engaged in costly and time-consuming tasks, including maintenance of excellent breeds, improvements and R&D.

The seeds act was abandoned in 2018 in spite of harsh protesting opinions presented by farmers and relevant associations. Thus, seed production of rice, wheat and soybeans was to be entrusted to private seed companies, including multinational giants, like Monsanto-Byern, DuPont and Syngenta.

Responding to the new steps, social movements grew extensively in the country to promulgate ‘a local seed law’ in order to revive the scrapped act; 17 municipalities have issued ordinances, including Hokkaido, and another four local bodies, including Kochi Prefecture, prepare for constitution.

Simultaneously, going hand in hand with the elimination of the seeds law, the Agriculture Competitiveness Strengthening and Support Law was implemented. This law stipulates that the state-and-prefecture-led experimental farms should share information of researches on development and production of seeds and seedlings with private companies, including foreign enterprises.

Vital issue for farmers

One more sinister attack to farmers is the revision of the Seeds and Seedlings Law. The current one specifies that a person or a firm who/which has developed a new breed of crop is protected by the right of creator, if he/she/it registers it. And producers have enjoyed the right of farmer when they grow and develop seeds and seedlings domestically, as the practice is well admitted. After the revision, however, such a routine will be banned across the board.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries explains reasons why the bill was presented; it says the bill will settle disputes coming from the excellent species, such as, of strawberries, the Tochi-Otome, in particular, and grapes, Shine-Muscat, which may be sneaked out overseas and then be imported back, affecting Japanese farmers and registrants with huge losses.

Restrictions on farmers’ seed production do not prevent seeds and seedlings from flowing out of the country. Meanwhile, the law, binding farmers to share information on seeds of rice and wheat with multinational corporations, produces a plight in which farmers have no choice but buy seeds from these corporations. The Abe government’s policy is not compatible.

If a farmer is prohibited to grow seeds, he will be obliged to pay royalties or buy expensive seeds and seedlings. This is a vital issue.

July 14, 2020