The conditions and subjects of livestock farming succession

The number of livestock farms has decreased rapidly; as a result, the supply of livestock began to decrease in Japan during the later half of the 1980's. A major reason for the decrease in the number of livestock farms is that potential successors do not take over their family farms. Accordingly, it is essential to study the conditions of livestock farming succession. Factors studied in this paper were the deference in succession systems between types of enterprise, modern successor's requirements regarding farm conditions, and the essential stages in the succession process by type of enterprise. The results are as follows; 1) The succession" system of traditional Japanese family farms has sonic major constraints. These constraints are that the successor is restricted to one person who is a direct descendant, and that succession is to family property and the maintainenance of the parents. In other words succession is to the entire farm household as a unit. As a result, the successor's farm management can not be separated from the successor's parental control. 2) On the other hand, the succession system of company type farms is modernized. Succession to family property and the maintainenance of parents is separated, but the successor is restricted to relatives on the family business. On the partnership business the successor is not restricted. 3) If traditional Japanese family farms hope to achieve succession, it is desirable to change the form into a company type or to make a family farm agreement. 4) It is essential to prepare the successor's requirements regarding farm conditions; including economic competitive ability, modernization and the future of the business. Stages in the succession process are to be familiar with animals in childhood, to search for and decide on an occupation, vocational training, participation in livestock farming, and to secure management ability