Under the responsibility of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan, farmers participate in several national-level councils as members (e.g., the Council of Food, Agriculture and Rural Area Policies and the Agricultural Materials Council) to provide inputs in the decision-making process. Both the Council of Food, Agriculture and Rural Area Policies and the Agricultural Materials Council were established in 2001 by reorganizing existing councils. They were established under the Food, Agriculture and Rural Areas Basic Act and the Act for Establishment of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, respectively.