Farmers' convention focuses on safe food and revival of agriculture

The National Federation of Farmers Movement (Nominren) stands out as the main body of the struggle to protect agriculture from the massive imports of foreign farm products and spread of mad cow disease.

Nominren held its 14th convention over three days from January 15 in Atami City in Shizuoka Prefecture. About 380 delegates from all 47 prefectures, including Tokyo and Hokkaido, took part in the convention.

In the opening address, Nominren President Sasaki Kenzo said the task is for the convention to find ways to increase the nation's self-sufficiency in foods in opposition to the LDP policy of destroying Japanese agriculture. He also stressed the need for the farmers movement to strengthen cooperation with all strata of society.

The Nominren membership increased last year as a sharp increase in agricultural imports and an outbreak of mad cow disease (BSE) threatened Japan's agriculture and food.

The Nominren Secretariat proposed an action plan that focused on the movement to get safeguards invoked to protect domestic farm products against foreign products and demand government compensation for BSE-related losses.

Concerning BSE that hit stockbreeders, the convention decided to call on consumers to cooperate in the recovery of domestic beef consumption. (end)