FUKUSHIMA - A "reconstruction farm" has begun operations in Fukushima Prefecture, run by five local dairy farmers who were forced to give up their own facilities following the March 2011 nuclear crisis.
　60 cows had moved into barns on the site as of Friday, and there are plans to eventually keep 580 of the Tohoku region's largest type of dairy cows there.
　About 120 people in the Fukushima dairy industry participated in a ceremony on Sept. 25 to celebrate the opening of the cutting-edge farm.

　東京電力福島第１原発事故で休業に追い込まれた相双の酪農家５人が運営する「復興牧場」が完成、９月２５日に福島県福島市土船の現地で記念式典が行われた。東北最大級の乳牛５８０頭を飼育する予定で、県内の酪農関係者ら約１２０人が先進的な農場の誕生を祝った。１０月１日に稼働を開始、２日に乳牛６０頭が牛舎に入った。

　"I chose this path because I feel we have a mission to reconstruct the dairy industry in Fukushima Prefecture. I'd like to use all my experience to do this work," said Kazumasa Tanaka, president of the farm's operating company, Feliz latte. Tanaka spoke on behalf of the other four participating farmers, who are from the Soso area of the prefecture.

　式典では、牧場を運営する会社「フェリスラテ」の田中一正社長（４４）が「この道を選んだのは、福島の酪農復興を成し遂げるという使命感があったから。集大成として取り組みたい」と５人を代表して意欲を語った。

　The farmers aim to establish an advanced model of dairy farming at the facility by introducing a joint-management system that is currently uncommon in Japan. They also plan to restore the prefecture's production base for raw milk, which was badly damaged by the crisis at Tokyo Electric Power Company's Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant. The farmers have set an annual target of 5,000 tons of milk.
　They also plan to grow pasture grass in idle farmland in neighboring areas.

　復興牧場は、国内では珍しい共同経営方式を導入することで酪農の先進モデルの構築を目指す。また、原発事故で落ち込んだ生乳生産基盤の回復を進める。生乳生産量は年５０００トンを目標としている。周辺の遊休農地を活用して牧草を育てる計画もある。

　At a total project cost of \1.52 billion, the 3.6-hectare facility features three milking sheds and three sheds for cows to give birth in. There is also a storehouse for foodstuffs.

　約３．６ヘクタールの敷地に搾乳牛舎３棟、出産前の牛を収容する牛舎、飼料庫などを備える。総事業費は約１５億１６００万円。

　"Now we can finally begin operating the farm," Tanaka, 44, said at a completion ceremony held on the same day. Tanaka is from Iidate in the prefecture and went on to express strong faith in the other four farmers, who make up the company's board members. "I want to see great success together with my colleagues."

　「ようやく牧場を稼働できる」。２５日、福島市で行われた「復興牧場」の記念式典と落成式。関係者の期待が集まる中、牧場を共同経営する酪農家５人は東北最大級の牧場運営に向けて決意を新たにした。
　「私をサポートしてくれる４人の心強い仲間と共に大成功を収めたい」。運営会社「フェリスラテ」の社長田中一正さん（４４）＝飯舘村＝は、同社の取締役を務める４人への厚い信頼を口にした。

　Also on the board are Kenji Tadano, 44, from Minami-Soma, and Yoshimune Hasegawa, 36, from Iidate. They have been busy preparing for the start of operations, with Hasegawa saying, "We need to carefully examine whether the farm is well put together."

　取締役の但野賢士さん（４４）＝南相馬市、長谷川義宗さん（３６）＝飯舘村＝は「牧場の仕上がりをしっかりと見なければならない」と準備に余念がない。

　"We'll be using large machinery for the first time because we will keep quite a number of cows here. I have some worries, but I'm also looking forward to feeding them," said board member Yukio Miyata, 53, from Namie in the prefecture.

　「頭数が多いので、これまで使ったことのない大きな機械を使用する。不安もあるが、餌をやるのが楽しみ」と話すのは取締役の宮田幸雄さん（５３）＝浪江町。

　Properly managing cows' health is essential to producing raw milk efficiently.
"It's the cows that will be working hard from now on," said Hideaki Monma, 52, the remaining board member. "Our job is to help them grow in good health."

（　Translated by The Japan News　）

　効率的な生乳生産には牛の体調管理が欠かせず、同じく取締役の門馬秀昭さん（５２）＝浪江町＝は「これから頑張るのは牛たち。牛が健康に育つようにするのが仕事」と力を込めた。

　【　２０１５年９月２６日、１０月３日・本紙掲載　】