Green Jobs in a Sustainable Food System

The U.S. food sector is among the most productive in the world and is a significant driver of our economy. Yet, it's failing us in major ways -- putting public health, livelihoods and our environment at great risk. Obesity and diabetes rates are rising, communities are plagued by food deserts, and agriculture runoff is the biggest source of pollution in our rivers and lakes.The good news is that communities across the country are addressing this crisis in innovative ways. Through different community-based efforts, local activists and food advocates are finding ways to improve community health and environmental outcomes while creating a more economically equitable food system.It is within this context that this report identifies opportunities to transform jobs in the green economy and enhance environmental and economic equity outcomes in the future. The initial analysis promises opportunities for workers to build long-term skills, and emphasizes the importance of linking local efforts to broader regional and national policy platforms. This multi-level engagement and collaboration will help set in motion the systemic changes needed to create a more sustainable and equitable food system

THE SUPPLY CHAIN OF PORK: U.S. AND CHINA

Consumers in the United States consume 53 pounds of pork per capita per year. Forty percent of that pork enters the market by way of a contract with a packer or an integrated supply chain arrangement. Chinese consumers consume 37 pounds per capita. Eighty percent of that pork is produced in the backyards of millions of households all over the countryside. The supply chain that brings pork from hog to human is clearly different in these two countries, but both are moving in the same direction. In the United States, pork breeding produced leaner but heavier hogs by the late 1990's. This was largely in response to consumer demand for leaner meat and processors demand for less waste. Stricter sanitation regulation and quality control by food manufacturers led to a more integrated supply chain. Food companies contract with farmers for hogs with particular characteristics being demanded by consumers and retailers. Half of fresh pork and forty percent of processed pork is sold through foodservice establishments in the U.S. Consumers need for time-saving food is revealed by the portion of pork they eat away from home (42% of $35 billion sales) and by the mix of fresh (27%) and processed (73%) pork purchased in retail stores. The emphasis in the U.S. supply chain for pork is on delivering consistent quality of safe meat to consumers all the time. There is considerable research into new pork products. The top ten processing plants handle 43 percent of the total output. China is the largest pork producer in the world slaughtering 526.7 million hogs in 2000, over five times as many as the United States. Although commercial operations and specialized households are growing they provide only about twenty percent of all China's pork. Lower quality and sanitation standards prevent pork produced in backyards from entering the westernized/commercial supply chain but it is an important source of meat in the inland and rural areas of China. Coastal cities have more commercial and imported pork. For example, in Beijing sixty percent of production is from commercial farms. The advent of retail supermarkets and higher incomes in China foretell an increase in commercial pork operations. Direct foreign investment by key Western food companies and retailers are leading the standards for food safety and handling in the larger cities. Based on current pork consumption at various income levels, it is estimated that pork consumption will grow more than seven percent in Chinese cities and 1.5 percent in the countryside over the next ten years. This translates into an additional 12 million pounds of pork in 2011 with the urban consumption surpassing the rural consumption. The pork industry will be driven to emphasize quality, sanitation, and convenience in China as they already do in the United States. With China entering the World Trade Organization (WTO) more pork imports can be expected. Exports will depend on meeting the quality and safety standards of importing countries.Industrial Organization, Livestock Production/Industries,

Supply Chain Management in the Prime Lamb Industry Tender Plus: A Success Story

Traditionally fresh food industries have lagged behind other consumer goods in their approach to marketing and integration, and generally, are resigned to being commodity traders. Retailers' worldwide have increased their dominance within the fresh food industry. Clairs (2001) argued that within 10 years, 5-10 retail chains would dominate global food retailing. In Australia the three big supermarket chains and their subsidiaries had 40% of the retail grocery market in 1970 yet by 1998-99 their share had moved to 80% (AFFA and ABARE 2000). In the UK, four retailers account for two thirds of all grocery sales (Fearne & Hughes 1999). The Australian prime lamb industry is rapidly growing, especially in the export arena and has companies rising to the challenge of the domination of market place by retail chains. This paper looks in depth at one such company, Tender Plus. It profiles the relationships within the supply chain, and the success factors, which has provided Tender Plus with the impetus to increase sales to Japan by 15% a year. The key factor is a paradigm shift from a price orientated domain, to that of a relationship orientated one. This is achieved through the commercial factors of quality and consistency of supply, and the people factors of trust, honesty, loyalty and open communication. A combination of these factors, and continuous learning, is cementing the future of Tender Plus, in a marketplace where the power of multi-national conglomerates is increasing.Agribusiness, Industrial Organization,

The Use of Iodized Salt in Processed Foods: Empirical Evidence and the Role of Regulation

Salt policy is an important element of European nutrition policy. Whereas the per-capita intake of salt in the population is viewed as being too high for health reasons, the intake of iodized salt helps to counteract iodine deficiency. Given this tradeoff, the principle “If salt, then iodized salt!” is formulated in German health and nutrition policy. We address the question whether food processors follow this rule and why this is so. A market study for German grocery retailing and 30,345 processed foods in the food groups bread, meat and milk reveals that the share of products with iodized salt is low and much below the use of iodized salt in private houzseholds. Expert interviews and online surveys of food processors suggest at least three reasons for this evidence: (i) There is incomplete information among food processors with regard to the health benefits of iodized salt. (ii) A minority of salt consumers is actively opposing the iodization of salt. (iii) The reduced use of iodized salt due to (i) and (ii) is not compensated by governmental regulation and an active information and support policy for salt fortification

New Zealand food and beverage consumer preferences for product attributes and alternative retailers, and in-market use of digital media and smart technology

While much of New Zealand’s primary products are exported, it is still important to understand how domestic consumers value the attributes of food and beverage products, including willingness-to-pay (WTP) for particular product attributes, and use digital media and smart technologies to access information and purchasing food and beverage products. In response to this, firstly a literature review of New Zealand consumer preferences, WTP and technology use was carried out. Secondly, a survey of approximately 1,400 New Zealand consumers was undertaken examining preferences and WTP for credence attributes and their associated factors, attitudes to and use of alternative retailers, and digital media and smart technology use in relation to food and beverages. These results are compared with an overseas study to gain relative insight into the New Zealand market. A distinct difference between New Zealand and international consumers is observed across all factors examined. These results imply that a New Zealand-centric view of international consumers may lead to an underestimation of the potential value that could be captured in international markets

Exploring the factors influencing consumers' choice of retail store when purchasing fresh meat in Malaysia

This research explores the preferred place for Malaysian consumers to purchase fresh meat. From four focus group discussions, participants indicated that their decision to purchase fresh meat from either a modern retail outlet or the traditional market was influenced by five key variables: perceptions of freshness, Halal assurance, a good relationship with retailers, a competitive price and a pleasant environment for shoppers. Results were subsequently validated in a quantitative survey of 250 respondents in the Klang Valley. Despite the increasing number of supermarkets and hypermarkets, not only are the traditional markets able to coexist with modern retail formats, but they remain the preferred place for respondents to purchase fresh meat