Innovations within the organic food sector – basis for novel business relations between agricultural and processing enterprises

Innovations within the processing sector may stimulate new, and extend and stabilize existing business relations with agricultural enterprises along the market chain. Due to their regional focus, small and medium-sized businesses in organic food production are eminently dependent on collaboration. On the basis of the evaluation of 140 applications for the Innovation Contest, this paper demonstrates how new and sustainable revenues can be built up by entering economic collaborations with innovative businesses of the processing sector

Wachsen mit den Werten: Wertewandel im Ökolandbau – ein Ländervergleich

The enormous growth of the organic branche in Germany and its European neighbouring countries has led to far reaching structural changes. The large demand for organically produced goods has led to mass production, monopolisation and long-distance transports. Some producers, suppliers and consumers fear that the eco-social ideas and ethical values, which are inseparably connected to organic agriculture, might be overrun by these developments. The following essay illustrates the shift of values within the organic branche in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The authors point out the different strategies of the three countries in order to meet these challenges and make an argument for a self-confident return to basic values and normative statements of the organic food movement