Abstract:
A method of performing intermediation in raising a product includes the steps of (a) informing a raising site of an instruction transmitted from a user and (b) paying or charging the user based on a balance after deducting a fee for the raising site and an intermediation commission from proceeds from a sale of the product sold in accordance with the instruction of the user. The steps (a) and (b) are performed electrically via a network.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention generally relates to raising intermediation methods, raising intermediation programs, and recording media, and more particularly to a raising intermediation method for performing intermediation in raising products, a raising intermediation program for executing such a method, and a recording medium storing such a program.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    Conventionally, people engaged in raising field crops, flowers, fish, or trees have employed professional knowledge accumulated over a long period of time, a variety of instruments, and resources such as cultivated land in order to raise products, and have gained income by shipping the products such as field crops to market, thereby conducting business.  
           [0005]    Further, as pertaining to leisure farming, some professional raisers provide their professional knowledge and a variety of instruments to customers so that the customers themselves enjoy raising field crops for personal consumption and as gifts to their friends.  
           [0006]    However, as described above, in the conventional raising of agricultural products or the like pertaining to leisure farming, the professional raisers only provide their professional knowledge and the instruments to the customers so that the customers may enjoy raising the field crops for personal consumption, with the result that their professional knowledge, instruments, and cultivated land are not fully utilized.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a raising intermediation method by which the above-described disadvantage is eliminated.  
           [0008]    A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a raising intermediation method that organically intermediates between a raising site raising a variety of products and a user playing a key management role so that raising, sale, and settlement can be realized with efficiency and simplicity.  
           [0009]    Another more specific object of the present invention is to provide a program for executing such a raising intermediation method and a recording medium storing such a program.  
           [0010]    The above objects of the present invention are achieved by a method of performing intermediation in raising a product, the method including the steps of (a) informing a raising site of an instruction transmitted from a user and (b) paying or charging the user based on a balance after deducting a fee for the raising site and an intermediation commission from proceeds from a sale of the product sold in accordance with the instruction of the user, wherein the steps (a) and (b) are performed electrically via a network.  
           [0011]    The above objects of the present invention are also achieved by a method of performing intermediation in raising a product, the method including the steps of (a) informing a user of harvest information transmitted from a raising site with sales conditions being added to the harvest information as required and (b) informing the raising site of a response from the user to the sales conditions so that the raising site sells the product in accordance with the response from the user, wherein the steps (a) and (b) are performed electrically via a network.  
           [0012]    The above objects of the present invention are also achieved by a method of performing intermediation in raising a product, the method including the steps of (a) informing a user of one or both of advice on raising the product transmitted from a raising site and advice on raising the product created by referring to a database and (b) informing the raising site of a response from the user to the advice so that the raising site raises the product in accordance with the response from the user, wherein the steps (a) and (b) are performed electrically via a network.  
           [0013]    According to the above-described methods, organic intermediation is provided between the raising site and the user so that raising, sale, and settlement can be realized with efficiency and simplicity.  
           [0014]    The above objects of the present invention are also achieved by a program for performing intermediation in raising a product, the program causing a computer to execute the steps of (a) informing a raising site of an instruction transmitted from a user and (b) paying or charging the user based on a balance after deducting a fee for the raising site and an intermediation commission from proceeds from a sale of the product sold in accordance with the instruction of the user, wherein the steps (a) and (b) are performed via a network.  
           [0015]    The above objects of the present invention are further achieved by a computer-readable recording medium storing a program for performing intermediation in raising a product, the program causing a computer to execute the steps of (a) informing a raising site of an instruction transmitted from a user and (b) paying or charging the user based on a balance after deducting a fee for the raising site and an intermediation commission from proceeds from a sale of the product sold in accordance with the instruction of the user, wherein the steps (a) and (b) are performed via a network. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]    Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a system structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2A is a flowchart of a registration-related operation of a system of the present invention and FIG. 2B is a diagram showing a customer database;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a general operation of the system of the present invention;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a raising-related operation of the system of the present invention;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 5 is a diagram showing advice information of the present invention;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a harvest-related operation of the system of the present invention;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIGS. 7A and 7B are diagrams showing harvest information and purchase information of the present invention;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a settlement-related operation of the system of the present invention; and  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a billing-related operation of the system of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0026]    Next, a description will be given, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a system structure according to the embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0028]    In FIG. 1, a raising service system  1  intermediates on-line between a raising site  11  and a user terminal  21  via a network such as the Internet. The raising service system  1  includes a raising instruction part  2 , a raising advice part  3 , a harvest support part  4 , and a settlement part  5 .  
         [0029]    The raising site  11  is a site for raising products such as field crops, livestock, trees, garden products, or fish (young yellowtail, tuna, salmon, or trout). However, in this embodiment, a description will be given, for the purpose of simplicity, of the operations of raising, harvesting, and selling a field crop by using farmland resources.  
         [0030]    The raising instruction part  2  transmits an instruction on raising to the raising site  11  based on an instruction transmitted from the user terminal  21  of a raising-contracted user.  
         [0031]    The raising advice part  3  informs the user terminal  21  of raising advice based on the past record created and provided by the raising site  11  or the raising advice of the last year fetched from a database. Further, the raising advice part  3  displays the provided raising advice and receives a response from the user in which selection or correction is made. Then, the raising advice part  3  informs the raising site  11  of the received response and causes the raising site  11  to work accordingly.  
         [0032]    The harvest instruction part  4  adds purchase information to harvest information created by the raising site  11  and informs the user terminal  21  of the information. Further, harvest instruction part  4  displays the information and receives a response including selection and/or correction from the user. Then, the harvest instruction part  4  informs the raising site  11  of the received response and instructs the raising site  11  to make shipment.  
         [0033]    The settlement part  5  settles an account by deducting a raising fee (composed of various work fees) and an intermediation commission from proceeds  34  from the sale of the raised product (field crop).  
         [0034]    The raising site  11 , which is connected to the raising service system  1  via a network such as the Internet, raises, harvests, and sells the field crop specified by the user. Here, the raising site  11  controls a plurality of farm sites such as an A farm site  12  and a B farm site  13 . Alternately, the raising site  11  may be an independent farm site managed by the raising service system  1 .  
         [0035]    Each of the farm sites  12  and  13  is a group of professionals that has farmland and a variety of agricultural instruments as resources and professional knowledge based on experience, and raises the specified field crop by using these resources and knowledge.  
         [0036]    Information  14 , which is an example of information that the raising site  11  registers with or transmits to the raising service system  1 , includes the following:  
         [0037]    farm registration  
         [0038]    crop growth information  
         [0039]    plot information  
         [0040]    weather information  
         [0041]    work advice (a raising advice on additional manure, etc.)  
         [0042]    others.  
         [0043]    Information  15 , which is an example of information that the raising site  11  receives from the raising service system  1 , includes the following:  
         [0044]    member information (information on a member or user who becomes the owner of a raised crop)  
         [0045]    work request information  
         [0046]    others.  
         [0047]    Payment  16  includes a plot rent and a working fee and is deducted from the proceeds  34  from the sale of the field crop that is the raised product.  
         [0048]    The user terminal  21 , which is connected to the raising service system  1  via a network such as the Internet, makes a contract and gives instructions on raising, harvesting, and selling the field crop.  
         [0049]    Information  22 , which is an example of information that the user provides to the raising service system  1 , includes the following:  
         [0050]    member registration  
         [0051]    work request information  
         [0052]    others.  
         [0053]    Information  23 , which is an example of information that the user terminal  21  receives from the raising service system  1 , includes the following:  
         [0054]    crop growth information  
         [0055]    plot information  
         [0056]    weather information  
         [0057]    work advice (raising advice on additional manure, etc.)  
         [0058]    others.  
         [0059]    Payment  24  is the proceeds of liquidation received by the user after an offset. That is, payment  24  is a balance remaining after the fee payment to the raising site  11  and the commission payment to the raising service system  1  are deducted from the sales proceeds  34 .  
         [0060]    A general market  31  is an example of a sales place for selling the harvest to the consuming public  33 .  
         [0061]    An Internet sale  32  is a system that sells the harvest directly to the consuming public  33  via the Internet.  
         [0062]    The consuming public  33  are people that consume the field crop raised in the raising site  11 .  
         [0063]    The sales proceeds  34  are proceeds from the sale of the harvested field crop in the general market  31  or through the Internet sale  32 .  
         [0064]    Next, a description will be given, with reference to FIGS. 2A through 8, of an operation of the system of FIG. 1.  
         [0065]    [0065]FIGS. 2A and 2B are diagrams for illustrating registration according to this embodiment.  
         [0066]    [0066]FIG. 2A is a flowchart of the registration.  
         [0067]    In step S 1 , a member registration page is displayed. In step S 2 , inputs are made. In steps S 1  and S 2 , the user terminal  21  is operated to be connected to the raising service system  1  via the Internet, and the member registration page is downloaded from a Web server to be displayed on the screen of the user terminal. Then, the following information is input to the member registration page on the screen (member registration screen).  
         [0068]    name  
         [0069]    farm selection (cropping acreage, period)  
         [0070]    crop (crop name)  
         [0071]    others.  
         [0072]    In step S 3 , the input information is registered. That is, after the user inputs the information on the member registration screen in step S 2 , the user presses a registration button to register the information with the raising service system  1  via the Internet. Thereby, the user requests cultivation of the specified field crop for a specified period of time in a specified farm under selected and input conditions on a contract basis. These registered contents are recorded and managed in a later-described customer database shown in FIG. 2B in the raising service system  1 .  
         [0073]    Thus, the user is enabled to entrust raising of the crop to the raising service system  1  by specifying the farm, cropping (crop raising) acreage, period, and crop on the displayed member registration screen downloaded from the Web server of the raising service system  1  to which server the user terminal  21  is connected.  
         [0074]    [0074]FIG. 2B is a diagram showing the customer database of the raising service system  1 . The contents (user name (customer name), farm (cropping acreage, period), crop, others) input in step S 2  are registered in the customer database in step S 3  so as to be correlated with each customer (user) as shown in FIG. 2B.  
         [0075]    Thus, by managing the cropping request information (farm, cropping acreage, period, crop) by registering the information with the customer database, the raising service system  1  of FIG. 1 is enabled, with respect to a plurality of farms, to manage all crop-raising requests made by a plurality of users in accordance with their requests and give each farm instructions on cropping.  
         [0076]    [0076]FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a general operation of the system of the present invention.  
         [0077]    In step S 1 , the user terminal  21  is connected to the Web server of the raising service system  1  and makes a cropping request on the screen.  
         [0078]    In step S 12 , the raising service system  1  receives the cropping request from the user.  
         [0079]    In step S 13 , the raising service system  1  registers the received request (farm name, cropping acreage, period, crop) with the above-described customer database of FIG. 2B, and informs the raising site  11  of the cropping request from the user.  
         [0080]    In step S 14 , the raising (farm) site  11  receives the user&#39;s cropping request transmitted from the raising service system  1 .  
         [0081]    In step S 15 , the raising site  11  works on the specified crop for the specified cropping acreage based on the received cropping request.  
         [0082]    In step S 16 , the raising service system  1  is informed that cropping has been carried out in the raising site  11 , and records this information in the customer database.  
         [0083]    Thus, when the user makes a request for cultivation of the field crop, the raising service system  1  receives the request and instructs the raising site  11  to carry out cropping or cultivation through the above-described steps S 11  through S 16 .  
         [0084]    In step S 17 , the raising site  11  creates advice information and transmits the advice information to the raising service system  1 .  
         [0085]    In step S 18 , the raising service system  1  records the transmitted advice information of the past record, and transmits the transmitted advice information to the user terminal  21 . Alternately, the raising service system  1  creates the advice information (advice information on additional manure, for instance) of the last year by referring to the database and transmits the created information to the user terminal  21 .  
         [0086]    In step S 19 , the user terminal  21  receives the advice information.  
         [0087]    In step S 20 , the user terminal  21  displays the received advice information on the screen so that the user determines whether to accept the advice information. For instance, the user terminal  21  displays a later-described advice information of FIG. 5 so that the user determines whether to accept the advice information. If the user accepts the advice information (that is, “YES” in step S 20 ), in step S 21 , the user terminal  21  makes an OK response and transmits the response to the raising service system  1 . If the user does not accept the advice information (that is, “NO” in step S 20 ), in step S 21 , the user terminal  21  corrects the advice information and transmits the corrected advice information (a correction response) to the raising service system  1 .  
         [0088]    In step S 23 , the raising service system  1  records the OK or correction response transmitted from the user terminal  21  and transfers the response to the raising site  11 .  
         [0089]    In step S 24 , the raising site  11  carries out work such as supplying additional manure to the field crop in accordance with the transferred user&#39;s response.  
         [0090]    Thus, through the above-described steps S 17  through S 24 , the raising site  11  makes advice information on work required during raising of the planted field crop, such as supplying additional manure thereto, the user is notified of the advice information, and the raising site  11  works in accordance with the OK or correction response from the user.  
         [0091]    As will be described later in detail with reference to FIG. 6, steps S 25  through S 34  relate to the harvest of the field crop.  
         [0092]    In step S 25 , the raising site  11  creates harvest information. In step S 26 , the raising service system  1  records the harvest information and transmits the harvest information to the user terminal  21 . In step S 27 , the user terminal  21  receives and displays the harvest information.  
         [0093]    After the raising service system  1  records the harvest information in step S 28  (=step S 26 ), in step S 29 , the raising site  11  harvests the field crop, while in step S 30 , the raising service system  1  creates market or purchase information and transmits the purchase information to the user terminal  21 . The purchase information may be transmitted to the user terminal  21  together with the harvest information. In step S 31 , the user terminal  21  displays the purchase information. Then, in step S 32 , the user selects information from the purchase information and transmits the selected information to the raising service system  1 . In step S 33 , the raising service system  1  records the selected information and transmits the information to the raising site  11 . In step S 34 , the raising site  11  ships and sells the field crop in accordance with the selected information transmitted from the user terminal  21  via the raising service system  1 .  
         [0094]    As will be described later in detail with reference to FIG. 8, steps S 35  through S 38  relates to settlement of account of this embodiment.  
         [0095]    In step S 35 , the raising service system  1  receives the sales proceeds  34 , and in step S 36 , makes settlement with respect to the sales proceeds  34  and remits payment to each of the raising site  11  and the user. In step S 37 , the raising site  11  confirms the payment, and in step S 38 , the user confirms the payment.  
         [0096]    [0096]FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a raising-related operation of the system of the present invention.  
         [0097]    In FIG. 4, a description will be given in detail of work for raising in the case of supplying additional manure.  
         [0098]    In step S 42 , the raising site  11  creates control information as shown in the advice information of FIG. 5, for instance, and transmits the control information to the user terminal  21 .  
         [0099]    In step S 43 , the user terminal  21  displays the transmitted control information on the screen.  
         [0100]    In step S 44 , the user selects items for selection in the control information displayed on the screen, and returns the selected items to the raising site  11 .  
         [0101]    In step S 45 , the raising site  11  works in accordance with the returned selections of the user.  
         [0102]    Thus, through the above-described steps S 42  through S 45 , the control information created by the professionals in the raising site  11  is transmitted to the user who has requested cropping, the user selects any items included in the control information or corrects the control information and transmits the selected items or the corrected control information to the raising site  11 , and the professionals work based on the response from the user in the raising site  11 .  
         [0103]    In step S 46 , the user inputs inquiries about work on the screen and transmits the inquires to the raising site  11  by e-mail, for instance.  
         [0104]    In step S 47 , the raising site  11  prepares a response to the work inquiries from the user and returns the response to the user.  
         [0105]    In step S 48 , the user terminal  21  displays the returned response on the screen.  
         [0106]    In step S 49 , the user selects items for selection from the information of the response from the raising site  11 , and returns a response to the raising site  11 .  
         [0107]    In step S 50 , the raising site  11  works in accordance with the returned information.  
         [0108]    Thus, through the above-described steps S 46  through S 50 , the user makes the inquiries about work on the field crop that the user requested to be cropped, and returns the selected or corrected information based on the response from the raising site  11  so that the professionals therein work properly.  
         [0109]    In step S 51 , the raising service system  1  makes a work plan based on an achievement database, and informs the raising site  11  of the work plan.  
         [0110]    In step S 52 , the raising site  11  checks and corrects the work plan, and returns the work plan to the raising service system  1 .  
         [0111]    In step S 53 , the raising service system  1  transmits the returned work plan to the user terminal  21 .  
         [0112]    In step S 54 , the user terminal  21  displays transmitted work plan on the screen.  
         [0113]    In step S 55 , the user selects appropriate items from the work plan displayed on the screen, and returns the selected information to the raising service system  1 , which transfers the transmitted information to the raising site  11 .  
         [0114]    In step S 56 , the raising site  11  work in accordance with the selected items of the work plan.  
         [0115]    Thus, after the work plan created by the raising service system  1  based on the achievement database is corrected by the knowledge of the professionals in the raising site  11 , the work plan is transmitted to the user, and the user selects the appropriate items of the work plan and transmits the selected items to the raising site  11  so that the raising site  11  may work in accordance with the selected items of the work plan.  
         [0116]    [0116]FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the advice information of the present invention.  
         [0117]    The control information is written in the upper section of the advice information.  
         [0118]    Provided in the middle section is weather information showing the transitions of temperature of a normal year and this year. The weather information indicates that control should be performed more or less five days earlier than the normal year since this year has experienced higher temperatures than the normal year.  
         [0119]    The contents of work instructions are shown in the lower section so that the user can make selection on the following information:  
         [0120]    no pesticides  
         [0121]    use of pesticides  
         [0122]    type A, B, C  
         [0123]    period date.  
         [0124]    Thus, the advice information created by the professionals of the raising site  11  is transmitted to and displayed on the user terminal  21  of the user who has requested cropping, and the user makes selection on the work instructions based on the advice information and information for decision-making such as the weather information so that the raising site  11  can work in accordance with the selection results.  
         [0125]    [0125]FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a harvest-related operation of the system of the present invention.  
         [0126]    In step S 61 , the raising site  11  creates harvest information and transmits the harvest information to the raising service system  1 .  
         [0127]    In step S 62 , the raising service system  1  records the harvest information transmitted from the raising site  11  in the database.  
         [0128]    In step S 63 , the raising service system  1  creates purchase information, and transmits the harvest information and the purchase information to the user terminal  21 .  
         [0129]    In step S 64 , the user terminal  21  displays the transmitted harvest and purchase information on the screen. For instance, the user terminal  21  displays later-described harvest information of FIG. 7A and purchase information of FIG. 7B together on the screen.  
         [0130]    In step S 65 , the user selects items for selection on the purchase information of FIG. 7B and also inputs information to the input region of the purchase information. For instance, the user inputs minimum and maximum sales prices as required. Then, the user transmits a response to the purchase information to the raising service system  1 .  
         [0131]    In step S 66 , the raising service system  1  records the response to the purchase information from the user (user&#39;s purchase response) and transmits the user&#39;s response to the raising site  11 .  
         [0132]    In step S 67 , the raising site  11  ships the field crop in accordance with the user&#39;s purchase response transmitted from the raising service system  1 . For instance, the raising site  11  ships the field crop to the general market  31  of FIG. 1 or the Internet sale  32 . If the user expresses her/his intention to consume the field crop personally in the response, the raising site  11  ships a portion of the field crop for the personal consumption of the user to a place designated by the user.  
         [0133]    Thus, when the shipment season of the raised field crop approaches, the raising site  11  creates the harvest information and the raising service system  1  further creates the purchase information. The raising service system  1  transmits the harvest and purchase information to the user who has requested cropping, and the raising site  11  makes shipment in accordance with the information selected or corrected by the user.  
         [0134]    [0134]FIGS. 7A and 7B are diagrams showing the harvest information and the purchase information.  
         [0135]    The harvest information of FIG. 7A includes the following information:  
         [0136]    estimated crop  
         [0137]    purchase information (variety, production area, price, method, quantity).  
         [0138]    Thus, the raising site  11  creates the harvest information and, if required, the purchase information, and presents the user who has requested cropping with the information.  
         [0139]    The purchase information of FIG. 7B includes the following information:  
         [0140]    variety  
         [0141]    production area  
         [0142]    price  
         [0143]    cultivation method  
         [0144]    desired quantity.  
         [0145]    By referring to the above-described purchase information, the selling price of the field crop (rice in this case) is determined.  
         [0146]    [0146]FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a settlement-related operation of the system of the present invention.  
         [0147]    In step S 71 , the raising service system  1  charges the system (for instance, the Internet sale  32 ) to which the shipment of the field crop was made (a ship-to system). That is, the raising service system  1  transmits a bill to the ship-to system for the shipment of the field crop shown in FIG. 6.  
         [0148]    In step S 72 , the ship-to system pays the bill.  
         [0149]    In step S 73 , the raising service system  1  confirms payment from the ship-to system.  
         [0150]    In step S 74 , the raising service system  1  deducts the system commission (intermediation commission) from the payment.  
         [0151]    In step S 75 , the raising service system  1  remits the raising fee to the raising site  11 .  
         [0152]    In step S 76 , the raising site  11  confirms the payment of the raising fee from the raising service system  1 .  
         [0153]    In step S 77 , the raising service system  1  determines whether a balance remains after the commission for the raising service system  1  and the fee for the raising site  11  are deducted from the sales proceeds that the ship-to system has deposited. If the balance remains (that is “YES” in step S 77 ), the raising service system  1  remits the balance to the user as a dividend for the user. In step S 78 , the user confirms the payment of the dividend. On the other hand, if no balance remains or a deficit remains (that is, “NO” in step S 77 ), in step S 79 , the raising service system  1  covers the deficit. Alternately, in step S 80 , the raising service system  1  transmits a bill to the user and charges the user for the deficit. In step S 81 , the user pays the deficit, and in step S 82 , the raising service system  1  confirms the payment from the user.  
         [0154]    Thus, when the field crop raised at a cropping request of the user is shipped, the bill is transmitted to the ship-to system. When the ship-to system makes payment, the fee for the raising site  11  is deducted from the payment and transmitted to the raising site  11 . Further, the commission for the raising service system is deducted from the payment. Thereafter, if a balance remains after deducting the fee and the commission from the payment, the balance is remitted to the user as a user&#39;s dividend, and if a deficit remains as a result of the deduction, in accordance with the contract between the user and the raising service system  1 , the raising service system  1  covers the deficit or the raising service system  1  charges the user for the deficit and receives payment therefor. Thereby, the account is automatically settled with respect to the proceeds from the sale of the shipped field crop.  
         [0155]    [0155]FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a billing-related operation of the system according to the present invention.  
         [0156]    In step S 90 - 1 , the raising service system  1  creates billing information in response to an instruction on dissemination (seed planting) work given by the user terminal  21 . The raising service system  1  creates a record of the following information in a billing database (DB)  41 :  
         [0157]    user ID: 1111  
         [0158]    contents of work element: dissemination  
         [0159]    amount of money: ¥80,000  
         [0160]    date of instruction: 00/04/03  
         [0161]    date of completion: -.  
         [0162]    In step S 90 - 2 , the raising service system  1  makes a request for work to the raising site  11 . The raising service system  1  requests the raising site  11  to carry out the contents of work specified by the user (dissemination in this case).  
         [0163]    In step S 90 - 3 , the raising site  11  completes the dissemination work. The raising site  11 , which is requested in step S 90 - 2  to perform dissemination, performs dissemination and informs the raising service system  1  of the date of completion of the dissemination so that the raising service system  1  records the date of completion in the billing DB  41 .  
         [0164]    In step S 90 - 4 , the raising service system  1  informs the user terminal  21  of the completion of work. The raising service system  1  informs the user terminal  21  of the date of completion of work in response to recording of the date of completion of work in the billing DB  41  in step S 90 - 3 .  
         [0165]    In step S 90 - 5 , the raising service system  1  records the billing information of each work element hereinafter in the billing DB  41  until harvest.  
         [0166]    Through the above-described steps S 90 - 1  through S 90 - 5 , information on contents of work element, date of completion, and amount of money of each work element from dissemination till harvest is accumulated successively as shown in the billing DB  41  in the center of FIG. 9.  
         [0167]    In step S 91 , with respect to each user, the raising service system  1  sums up fees for the work elements from dissemination to harvest accumulated in the billing DB  41  through the above-described steps S 90 - 1  through S 90 - 5 .  
         [0168]    In step S 93 , the raising site  11  records the following information including proceeds from the sale of the raised field crop (for instance, fruit) in a sales database (DB)  42  as shown in FIG. 9.  
         [0169]    user ID: 1111  
         [0170]    sales proceeds: ¥420,000  
         [0171]    date of sale: 00/08/24  
         [0172]    sell-to: Ota Market.  
         [0173]    In step S 94 , the raising service system  1  performs offset calculation. That is, the raising service system  1  subtracts the work fee total recorded in the billing DB  41  calculated in step S 91  from the sales proceeds recorded in the sales DB  42  in step S 93 . For instance, the raising service system  1  subtracts a work fee total of ¥260,000 from sales proceeds of ¥420,000 to obtain a balance of ¥160,000.  
         [0174]    In step S 92 , payment is made to the contracted farm (the raising site  11 ). That is, the amount of money obtained in step S 91  is paid to the contracted farm. At this point, if the sales proceeds are smaller than the work fee total, based on the contract between the user and the raising service system  1 , the raising service system  1  (a) collects a difference from the user and pays the difference to the contracted farm or (b) absorbs the difference by itself.  
         [0175]    In step S 95 , the raising service system  1  deducts the system commission from the balance obtained in step S 94 . For instance, the raising service system  1  deducts a system commission of ¥48,000 from the balance of ¥160,000 and obtains a balance of ¥112,000.  
         [0176]    In step S 96 , the system commission deducted in step S 95  is paid to the raising service system  1 .  
         [0177]    In step S 97 , the raising service system  1  determines the balance of ¥112,000 remains in step S 95  as the final balance.  
         [0178]    In step S 98 , the raising service system  1  pays the final balance of ¥112,000 to the user.  
         [0179]    Thus, the raising service system  1  accumulates the contents of work from dissemination to harvest and the corresponding work fees in the billing DB  41  and sums up the work fees. When the raising site  11  records the proceeds from the sale of the field crop in the sales DB  42 , the raising service system  1  offsets the work fees by the sales proceeds and pays the work fees to the raising site  11  (contracted farm). Then, the raising service system deducts the system commission from the balance and the system commission is paid to the raising service system  1 . Thereafter, if a balance still remains, the raising service system  1  pays the balance to the user as a dividend. At this point, if the balance is negative and there is no dividend for the user, the raising service system  1  absorbs the deficit or charges the user for the deficit based on the contract between the user and the raising service system  1 .  
         [0180]    In this embodiment, the raising instruction part  2  (see FIG. 1) of the raising service system  1  receives the raising instruction from the user terminal  21 . The raising instruction part  2  transmits the instruction to the raising site  11  and causes the raising site  11  to raise the field crop specified by the user. The raising advice part  3  of the raising service system  1  receives the raising advice from the raising site  11  or creates the raising advice by referring to the database, and transmits the raising advice to the user terminal  21 . Thereafter, the raising advice part  3  receives the response of the selected or corrected information from the user and transmits the response to the raising site  11  so that the raising site  11  can work accordingly.  
         [0181]    Further, the harvest instruction part  4  of the raising service system  1  receives the harvest information from the raising site  11  and adds the purchase information, if necessary, to the harvest information. Then, the harvest instruction part  4  transmits the information to the user terminal  21  and receives the response of the selected and/or corrected information from the user. Thereafter, the harvest instruction part  4  transmits the response to the raising site  11  so that the raising site  11  harvests and ships the field crop accordingly.  
         [0182]    Furthermore, the settlement part  5  of the raising service system  1  causes the raising site  11  to harvest and sell the raised product and deducts the intermediation commission and the fees for the raising site  11  from the proceeds from the sale of the raised product. Then, the settlement part  5  pays the fees to the raising site  11 , and pays the balance to the user or charges the user.  
         [0183]    As described above, according to the present invention, the raising service system  1  organically intermediates between the raising site  11  that raises a variety of products and the user who plays a key management role so that production, sale, and settlement can be realized with efficiency and simplicity.  
         [0184]    The present invention is not limited to the specifically disclosed embodiment, but variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.  
         [0185]    The present application is based on Japanese priority application No. 2001-105094 filed on Apr. 3, 2001, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.