The three-hour ride out and back was almost as enjoyable as the time I spent there. I was able to see all types of Japanese agriculture, including of course, rice. In stark contrast to agriculture in the U.S., the scale in Japan is miniscule. This is one reason their food costs are so high for domestically produced products -- they have no economies of scale. Here's a picture of a "large sized" rice farming operation owned by several families. It's no more than 40 acres in total. Rather than each family individually doing everything by hand, within the past 20 years there has been some consolidation, mechanization, and pooling of resources to obtain new technology and efficient equipment. But it's not enough. The farming population continues to age, and the younger generations are moving to the city.
Upon arriving in Kobe, I was met by some friends, and had the treat of seeing one of the area's newest rice mills. Rice milling in Japan is very different than in the U.S. The equipment is all essentially the same Satake rice milling pieces we use. However, in Japan, the rice is milled from momi (paddy) to genmai (brown rice) at mills near the growing areas. These mills do not have the capability to take the brown rice to the finished product, rather most of the time the paddy is milled to brown shortly after harvest and then stored in refrigerated warehouse until it is transported to the finishing mills. The plant I visited in Kobe was a finishing mill that receives brown rice everyday (mostly in 30kg bags), mills it to white, packages it, and distributes directly to customers in the area. Milling freshness is very important in Japan, and most customers want the milling date on the bag to be less than two weeks old! I really enjoyed learning more about the intricacies of the rice business in Japan directly from the people milling the product.
As much as I enjoyed the tour at the rice mill, the best thing about a trip to Kobe always comes after business is over -- dinnertime. Of course Kobe beef is famous worldwide and served at five star restaurants around the globe. Some American ranchers have even tried to copy the beef by bringing cattle to the U.S. and starting herds -- much like the California rice industry did with Japanese rice varieties like Koshihikari and Akitakomachi. However, nothing is like the real thing served right here fresh in the place it was raised. My favorite way to eat beef in Japan is teppanyaki style where the chef prepares all of the vegetables, seafood, and beef right there in front of you on a hot grill from scratch. The meal was great, as was the time shared with friends. Here's the chef displaying the steak right before he served it.
Chris CrutchfieldPresident and CEO -- American Commodity Company
Chris Crutchfield is very proud to represent the third generation of his family to be involved in the rice industry. Currently Chris is involved in all aspects of California rice from production all the way to the grocery store shelf.
Shortly after graduating from the University of Missouri in 1996, Chris moved back to California and joined with his father Paul Crutchfield in the formation of a rough rice pool for direct marketing to Turkey. Chris was responsible for the day-to-day management of the pool. That partnership developed into the formation of American Commodity Company (ACC) in 2000, and Chris assumed all direct management responsibilities for ACC.
Prior to establishing himself in the California rice industry, Chris worked in the press offices of Governor Pete Wilson as his Assistant Press Secretary. He also briefly taught secondary education in the California public school system.
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