Acceptance and Motivational Impact of the Organic Certification System

In recent years the institutional framework of the organic certification system has step by step become a more formal and state run system. Our research shows that al-though the majority of the farmers accept the system, they are not convinced of its cost-benefit relationship. Farmers prefer a more association- and advice-oriented control of the organic certification process

Success factors in the development of farm vacation tourism

Farm vacation tourism allows many families to fully use their domestic resources; furthermore it generates social benefits for the surrounding community. We have conducted a study to examine the success factors of this type of tourism. The results clearly demonstrate that one of the key components relies on the entrepreneurial skills of the farmer

System Dynamics in Food Quality Certifications: Development of an Audit Integrity System

Due to the complex structure of certification schemes the risk of flaws and scandals is generally high. It has further increased by several developments during the last years. With regard to their potential effects, it is questionable whether the certification approaches are actually able to detect deficiencies within the system and thus prevent crises which may lead to its breakdown. Hence, the ability of a standard to meet its objectives of food quality and safety needs to be enforced. In this contribution we launch the implementation of a controlling tool which automatically monitors audit quality based on information of the respective data bases. By analysing possible negative influences, opportunistic behaviour can thus be detected.certification, quality assurance systems, risk oriented auditing approach, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Food Security and Poverty,

Institutional Change and Acceptance of Quality Assurance: The Case of Organic Farming in Germany

The institutional framework of the certification scheme is a crucial factor for the future success of the organic market. Increasing complexity and a few scandals indicate that the current control structures might be insufficient. A better understanding of farmers’ attitudes is necessary to increase acceptance and to guarantee the longer-term success of the organic certification system. Against this background we designed a theoretical framework based on a cognitive perspective. The empirical basis of the study was a survey conducted with organic farmers in Germany. Results highlight that the majority of the farmers accept the present organic certification system, but are not convinced of its cost-benefit relationship.organic certification system, food quality, institutional change, guidelines and control, Farm Management, Institutional and Behavioral Economics, Marketing,

Success Factors in the Development of Farm Vacation Tourism

Community/Rural/Urban Development,

Audit risk factors in certification: How can risk-oriented audits improve the quality of certification standards?

Over the past few years, certification standards have become increasingly relevant for the agribusiness sector. Substantial parts of the value chain are already certified by standards such as QS, IFS or EurepGap. It is not known, however, whether these approaches can actually ensure a high quality control. This article is based on the analysis of the data base of the QSsystem with more than 72,000 companies involved. It tries to deduce some first empirically rich hypotheses about the connection between auditing quality and the institutional framing of the certification.certification, quality assurance, risk oriented auditing approach, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,