Happy new year

However, pig farming involves taking care of pigs all year round, so I was working on both New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, and before I knew it, two weeks had passed since the start of 2026, without really feeling the New Year's holidays.

As I mentioned in the title, I am currently participating in a training seminar called the Pig Farming College, which is organized by the Japan Pig Farmers Association. Participants are pig farmers from all over Japan, from Hokkaido in the north to Okinawa in the south, who are gathering to study pig farming.

It's been nine years since I joined ARK and started pig farming, so I've gained a fair amount of knowledge and experience in the field, but my aim here is to relearn pig farming from scratch, deepen my knowledge, and take the next step. By learning the basics again after gaining experience, I've not only been able to gain a deeper understanding of the purpose of the work I've done up until now, but I've also made new discoveries, so it's been a very fulfilling experience.

It's also very interesting to interact with other pig farmers from all over the country who are participating in the training, and by exchanging information, I get to learn about the methods and ways of thinking of other farms. When I talk to people who are highly conscious and think carefully about pig farming, it makes me feel motivated and I can't let them defeat me. In that respect, it's a very stimulating training.

The curriculum consists of three sessions, and I participated in September and November, so there is only one session left. I would like to learn as much as possible at the final training session so that I can take what I have learned back to the farm, and then I will have a social gathering (drinks party)!

Pig Farming Division Fujisawa Farm

Sota Ichikawa