Arc Group
Livestock and crops work together to recycle resources using organic fertilizer.
The initiative to promote tertiary industry through connections with consumers is highly praised
ARK Co., Ltd. (Kohkai, Fujisawa-cho, Ichinoseki-shi, Iwate Prefecture, Representative Director: Hashimoto Shinei) is pleased to announce that the ARK Group and its group company Wakaba Co., Ltd. (Kohkai, Fujisawa-cho, Ichinoseki-shi, Iwate Prefecture, Representative Director: Hashimoto Tomoatsu) have received the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Livestock Bureau Director-General's Award at the 1st Reiwa 6 Domestic Fertilizer Resource Utilization Expansion Awards, a project promoted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to expand the use of domestic fertilizer resources.
The "FY2024 Domestic Fertilizer Resource Utilization Expansion Awards" is one of the initiatives of the National Promotion Council (the project implementation body is the Japan Organic Resources Association) to expand the use of domestic fertilizer resources. The awards aim to widely recognize fertilizer raw material suppliers, fertilizer manufacturers, and fertilizer users who have achieved outstanding results through efforts to actively shift from fertilizers that rely on imported raw materials from overseas to fertilizers that utilize domestic resources such as compost and sewage sludge resources, as well as efforts to promote efficient resource circulation in the region, and to promote the nationwide spread of domestic resource fertilizers and improved productivity.
This year's awards saw 16 initiatives awarded after a rigorous screening process from a total of 59 applications, with Ark Group and Wakaba Co., Ltd. being selected as recipients of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Livestock Industry Bureau Director-General's Award. The awards ceremony will be held at the Matching Forum in Tokyo to Expand the Use of Domestic Fertilizer Resources on January 31, 2025, where six businesses will be presented with certificates of commendation and case studies for the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Agricultural Industry Bureau Director-General's Award, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Livestock Industry Bureau Director-General's Award, and Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Waterworks and Sewage Agency Director-General's Award.
[Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries: Winners of the Domestic Fertilizer Resource Utilization Expansion Award have been decided]
https://www.maff.go.jp/j/seisan/sien/sizai/s_hiryo/kokunaishigen/zennkokusuishin.html#award
[Japan Organic Resources Association: Announcement of the winners of the 1st "Reiwa 6 Domestic Fertilizer Resource Utilization Expansion Award"]
https://www.jora.jp/news/25361/
ARK Group and its group company Wakaba Co., Ltd., which is the designated manager of the Fujisawa Organic Fertilizer Center established by Ichinoseki City, Iwate Prefecture, receive livestock manure from the ARK Group's pig farming business and local livestock farmers, and food waste from local food factories, and manufacture and sell organic fertilizer as valuable raw materials. The following initiatives, which connect with consumers by realizing resource circulation within the ARK Group and in the local area, and contribute to further utilization of domestic resources and the expansion of organic agriculture, were recognized in this award.
・Expanding sales destinations for organic fertilizer: The number of local farm customers is increasing year by year, and a membership system is also operated.
・Active advertising of "Young Leaf Organic Fertilizer": Strive to increase its value and awareness through radio, newspapers and the Internet
・Collaboration with local governments: We have been working for many years on large-scale utilization of state-managed farmland managed by agricultural corporations.
・Realization of resource-recycling agriculture: The produce from our own fields (wheat and vegetables) as well as from local fields (rice for food and feed, etc.) are used as food ingredients at the ranch we operate, sold as products, and used as raw materials at our handmade ham workshop. We also manufacture our own feed for livestock, realizing resource-recycling agriculture within the Ark Group and in the local area.
・Realization of the tertiary industry: In order to build strong ties with consumers, we operate a ranch with the aim of conveying the value of food and agriculture as producers, and also engage in customer attraction and product sales.
[Image of Ark Group's "resource circulation based on organic fertilizer" and "sixth industrialization connecting with consumers"]
About the National Promotion Council for Expanding the Use of Domestic Fertilizer Resources
In order to expand the use of domestic fertilizer resources, the National Promotion Council was established in February 2023 (Reiwa 5) to bring together relevant parties from raw material suppliers (livestock businesses, sewage businesses, etc.), fertilizer manufacturers, and crop farmers (JA, etc.) to share initiative policies, foster momentum, and promote collaborative initiatives among the parties. The purpose of the council is to expand the use of domestic resources that contain fertilizer components, such as compost and sewage, and to promote a shift away from excessive reliance on imported raw materials. In addition to sharing initiative policies among relevant organizations and businesses, the council supports the creation of collaborative initiatives in various regions, from raw material supply to fertilizer production and use, by promoting matching between relevant businesses.
[Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries: About the National Promotion Council for Expanding the Use of Domestic Fertilizer Resources]
https://www.maff.go.jp/j/seisan/sien/sizai/s_hiryo/kokunaishigen/zennkokusuishin.html
About ARK Corporation and the ARK Group
Ark Corporation and its group are engaged in integrated production, known as the sixth industry, which covers everything from organic produce production, additive-free processing and manufacturing, distribution and sales, and even feed and fertilizer manufacturing, and are working on sustainable, recycling-oriented agriculture for the future. Pig farming is the company's main business, and in addition to producing and processing the "Tategamori Kogen Pork" brand of pork, they also operate "Ark Tategamori" in Fujisawa-cho, Ichinoseki City, Iwate Prefecture. In addition, the non-profit organization Tira Farm is working to create jobs that utilize the characteristics of people with disabilities through agriculture, in collaboration with agriculture and welfare.
ARK Corporation and its group have the mission of providing safe and secure food based on the philosophy that "food is life." We aim to raise the level of agriculture from producing to tasting and then enjoying, creating one-of-a-kind value that only our company can provide, allowing producers and consumers to share their excitement with each other.
[Ark Corporation: Company Information]
https://www.arkfarm.co.jp/about/company/
About Wakaba Co., Ltd.
Based on the ARK Group's management philosophy of "Food is Life," we manufacture organic fertilizer as the designated manager of the Fujisawa Organic Fertilizer Center in Ichinoseki City, Iwate Prefecture, using livestock waste from the group as the main ingredient and waste from local food factories as ingredients. As we are located in an area with a thriving livestock industry, we also accept waste from local cattle and poultry farms and farmers. We operate a facility with one of the largest manufacturing capabilities in the Tohoku region, which further increases the value of the raw materials we accept and sells them as fully ripened organic fertilizer.
While fulfilling the important role of designated manager in Ichinoseki city, the company contributes to the promotion of the local agriculture, livestock and food industries, and is establishing "environmental agriculture" not only within the group but also in the region. Founded in August 2005.
[Wakaba Co., Ltd.: Home page]
http://www.wakaba-ark.co.jp/
