The successful completion of the GATT negotiations and the North American Free Trade Agreement and the completion of the EC Internal Market mean that food and agricultural sectors must become internationally competitive. Firms, farm organizations, and governments are seeking to identify strategies and public policies that will increase their compet
This book is the result of several years of research activity on the topic of how to better link farmers, processors and retailers with each other in order to ensure and improve the supply of food products which meet consumer needs and wants. The book is structured in three parts. Starting with an overview regarding main developments in the agri-food sector with relevance for chain relationships (chapter 1), Part I is mainly concerned with providing the theoretical foundations for analysing agrifood chain relations (chapters 2, 3 and 4). Building on this conceptual basis, the second part presents in-depth empirical evidence for different countries, food chains and chain stages regarding the issues of trust and sustainable relationships in agri-food chains (chapters 5 to 14). The red meat industry (beef and pigmeat) is the focus of chapters 5, 7 and 9. Cereals (bread and malting barley) are analysed in chapters 5, 7, 8, 10 and 13. Horticultural products (fresh produce and wine) are investigated in chapters 6, 12 and 14. Regionally, the studies cover Europe, North America (the USA), China, Australia and the Philippines. While most studies were conducted in developed markets, chapters 6 and 12 look at the particularities of transition or developing economies. As to individual agri-food chain stakeholders, a number of chapters (chapters 5 to 12, 14 and 15) offer and discuss separate findings for farmers, food processors or retailers. Based on the theoretical and empirical findings in the first two parts of the book, recommendations for agribusiness managers (chapter 15) and policy-makers (chapter 16) are described in the third part. Chapter 17 discusses avenues for future research.
This edited volume presents ethical and economic analyses of agrifood competition. By systematically examining fairness and openness in agricultural markets, it seeks to answer the question of whether there is adequate competition in the agrifood industry and whether the system is fair to all participants. It outlines ethical and economic principles important for understanding agrifood competition, presents arguments for and against consolidation, globalization and the integration of agrifood industries, and looks at the implications of globalization on the nature of competition in specific agricultural contexts.
Food sustainability is essential to the advancement and development of economies and societies worldwide. However, there is an ongoing lack of progress in this field due to the challenge of bridging the gaps between applied science, policy, and society. Agrifood Economics and Sustainable Development in Contemporary Society provides emerging research exploring the theoretical and practical aspects of sustainable rural livelihood and applications within agricultural production. Featuring coverage on a broad range of topics such as green economics, organic farming, and sustainable development from a nature vs. nurture perspective, this book is ideally designed for agricultural researchers, professionals, academicians, policymakers, and farmers seeking current research on sustainability in farming.
The food industry is a notoriously complex economic sector that has not received the attention it deserves within legal scholarship. Production and distribution of food is complex because of its polycentric character (as it operates at the intersection of different public policies) and its dynamic evolution and transformation in the last few decades (from technological and governance perspectives). This volume introduces the global value chain approach as a useful way to analyse competition law and applies it to the operations of food chains and the challenges of their regulation. Together, the chapters not only provide a comprehensive mapping of a vast comparative field, but also shed light on the intricacies of the various policies and legal fields in operation. The book offers a conceptual and theoretical framework for competition authorities, companies and academics, and fills a massive gap in the competition policy literature dealing with global value chains and food.
The Agricultural Outlook 2021-2030 is a collaborative effort of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. It brings together the commodity, policy and country expertise of both organisations as well as input from collaborating member countries to provide an annual assessment of the prospects for the coming decade of national, regional and global agricultural commodity markets. The publication consists of 11 Chapters; Chapter 1 covers agricultural and food markets; Chapter 2 provides regional outlooks and the remaining chapters are dedicated to individual commodities.
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the vulnerability of agrifood systems to shocks and stresses and led to increased global food insecurity and malnutrition. Action is needed to make agrifood systems more resilient, efficient, sustainable and inclusive. The State of Food and Agriculture 2021 presents country-level indicators of the resilience of agrifood systems. The indicators measure the robustness of primary production and food availability, as well as physical and economic access to food. They can thus help assess the capacity of national agrifood systems to absorb shocks and stresses, a key aspect of resilience. The report analyses the vulnerabilities of food supply chains and how rural households cope with risks and shocks. It discusses options to minimize trade-offs that building resilience may have with efficiency and inclusivity. The aim is to offer guidance on policies to enhance food supply chain resilience, support livelihoods in the agrifood system and, in the face of disruption, ensure sustainable access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to all.
Author: United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. Subcommittee on Research, Nutrition, and General Legislation
