This reports on the information magazine "AFC Forum" 2025 Summer Issue 1 published by Japan Finance Corporation's Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Division.
This issue features "Food Regeneration for Cultivating Circular Society" as a special theme, providing detailed explanations on regenerative utilization of food manufacturing by-products and residues, particularly deepening cooperation between food businesses and farmers through feed conversion prioritized by the government, especially ecofeed. The special feature includes expert discussions such as "Pursuing Ecofeed that Builds Consumer Trust" by Professor Kazunori Awaji of Ryukoku University Faculty of Agriculture, and "Quality Improvement Necessary for Food Recycling Feed" by Tadanori Yoshida, Editorial Committee Member of Nikkei.
Business introductions present practical cases of circular agriculture including vegetable residue reuse for feed and compost by Asahi Bussan Co., Ltd. (Ibaraki), zero food waste through local okara reuse by Hiei Yuba Honpo Yuba Hachi Co., Ltd. (Shiga), and circular agriculture expansion using food waste by Atsumi Foods Co., Ltd. (Aichi).
Survey reports present results from agricultural business conditions survey and food industry trend survey conducted in January 2025, showing smart agriculture implementation progress across many industries and increasing trends in food business agricultural participation. Additionally, discussions are presented on food recycling loop promotion system revisions and the necessity of ecofeed certification systems by the Food Loss and Recycling Measures Office Director, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
The article comprehensively shows that circular society formation through food waste regenerative utilization is steadily progressing through public-private cooperation, with sustainable agriculture and food industry development being promoted through both technological innovation and institutional development.