Environmental and Agricultural Initiatives
Beautiful terraced rice fields in the mountains and spacious rice paddies at the beginning of the Echigo plain.
These are the original landscapes of Japan that we want to preserve for the next generation.
We want to preserve the rich nature of our hometown of Ojiya and the people who inherit the agricultural industry there, so Takano is taking on this challenge of doing the best we can.
Employees know the process of production, so they value the raw materials.
The domestic Sasage Beans used for red bean rice are a labor-intensive crop, and the number of producers is dwindling every year.
Then we decided to grow on our own. However, as we had no farming experience, we had to go through a series of failures and hardships, but when we harvested the carefully-grown beans one by one with our own hands, we felt an unprecedented attachment to the raw material.
Now, we have established an agricultural production corporation, Agri Takano ,and have called on local farmers to grow Sasage Beans and contracted with local farmers to buy all the beans after harvesting, which is a community-friendly approach that has prevented the destruction of farmland and increased farm income.
Taking on the challenge of recycling-oriented agriculture on our own farm
Agri Takano grows Sasage Beans for red bean rice, soba for hegisoba, and rice for packed rice. At our own farm, we use rice bran from rice milling at the factory and food residue from supermarkets to make compost, which is then returned to the soil in the fields.
Aiming for a sustainable society, we are promoting recycling-oriented agriculture, in which we return what is natural to nature and receive blessings from nature.
Awarded Company for Niigata Prefecture Excellent Recycling Business Office
Takano was awarded Niigata Prefecture Excellent Recycling Business Office in 2013.
Niigata Prefecture is committed to the reduction, reuse and recycling (hereinafter referred to as “recycling, etc.”) of waste generated by businesses.
In order to raise awareness of the importance of recycling and to promote the formation of a recycling-oriented society, this award is given to business establishments in the prefecture that have actively engaged in recycling, etc. and have achieved outstanding results. Our company was recognized for its recycling of food resources in the cultivation of Sasage Beans.
Wastewater treatment done with the help of microorganisms
In the process of producing packed rice, mochi, etc., a large amount of wastewater, such as rice grinding water, is generated.
At our plant, we use the power of microorganisms to purify the water and then return the water to the river.
Reduction of waste and use of packed rice.
In the process of producing packed rice, we reuse those that could not be shipped as products, such as those with misaligned package film designs or those that are not heavy enough.
The rice and containers are divided by the staff, and the rice is then taken to the farm and mixed with other food scraps to be used as feed for the pigs, while the containers are taken to a recycling company as plastic resources.