Likelihood of Succession and Farmers’ Attitudes: Evidence from a Survey in Germany, the United Kingdom and Portugal

The likelihood of succession in the family farm is referred to in the literature as an influential variable for several family farm management decisions. In this paper, we investigate this relationship for a selection of farm management variables, such as the timing of farmer’s retirement, the willingness of farmers to change the current mix of activities, their readiness to adopt new farm activities, and aim their readiness to intensify production. The categorical data analyzed, mostly Likert scales, comes from a mail survey carried out in 2002 to a sample of German, British and Portuguese farmers, amounting to approximately 4500 valid responses. Statistical association between the variables was studied computing the Chi2 statistic and testing the null hypothesis of no association between pairs of variables. The main conclusions were that the likelihood of succession was positively related to the length of active farmers’ live, to the farmer’s adoption of new activities (only for the Portuguese respondents), and to farmer’s willingness to intensify production. It was also found that the likelihood of succession was negatively related to the intention of leaving farmland idle. On the other hand, no empirical evidence was found of a statistical significant relationship between likelihood of succession and readiness to change the mix of farm activities.Family Farming; Succession; Agricultural Policy

The efficiency of the dairy sector in mainland Portugal

A two-stage Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) approach is employed to analyse the efficiency of dairy farms in mainland Portugal. The data are a 2010 sample from the European Commission Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) of 271 Portuguese mainland dairy farms. In the first stage, a directional input distance function and DEA are used to generate overall inefficiency measures and decompose them for each farm. In the second stage, the inefficiency measures are regressed on environmentaland/or organizational factors to explain efficiency differentials. Despite environmental and/or organizational differences, results indicate that most dairy farms in mainland Portugal can reduce costs by improving allocative efficiency and pure technical efficiency

Portuguese Retailers’ Motivations to Adopt Front of Pack Nutrition Labels: A Qualitative Analysis

Nutrition is an important food marketing differentiation criterion. There is growing evidence of the relation between diets and health conditions. Thus there is a potential conflict between industry and public health authorities over the use of nutrition labels. Understanding industry motivations for simplified nutrition labels use is paramount to scrutinize market dynamics, improve label policy design and its evaluation. The aim of this research is to ascertain how retailers perceive consumer’s attitudes to nutrition labels and what motivates their use. We conducted in-depth semi-structure interviews with senior managers in leading Portuguese retail chains. Our results suggest that retailers’ adopt FOP to aid their customers’ food choices, as a response to competitors’ moves and preempt labeling regulations. However, respondents were concerned on whether nutrition labels added value to their business, has a negative impact on sales in certain food categories and may hinder relations with suppliers.Nutrition labels, retailers, semi-structured interviews, content analysis, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Q18, M31, M38, M14,

Valuing nested names in the Portuguese olive oil market: An exploratory study

The Portuguese olive oil market had a remarkable development in recent years. Production is rising steadily is response to a EU program supporting a renewal of olive groves. Moreover there is a proliferation of national brands and private labels. These are often associated to regional collective labels or to organic production. The aim of our research is to determine how consumers value these nested names or co-brands. We conducted a pilot survey on a convenience sample of 103 consumers in the Oporto and Lisbon metropolitan areas as well in a rural area. Our results reveal some contradictions, for instance while origin is an important purchasing criteria, few PDO olive oils are recognized. Moreover, only 25% of respondents identify organic olive oils sold in the market and this attribute is one of the last purchasing criteria, but organic olive oils have the highest willingness to pay. Finally we find that associating a PDO to private labels increases willingness to pay by 33.3%, but doesn’t affect valuation of national brands. While we can’t take definite conclusions our findings give us interesting cues for future research. Therefore we aim to investigate whether regional identity, alternative usage and health or environmental conscience determine of affect valuation and choices of different olive oils brands and labels.olive oil, nested names, valuation., Agribusiness, Agricultural and Food Policy, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Labor and Human Capital,

A atribuição de NPO às SNF, no contexto do reforço da postura marítima da Aliança Atlântica

A aproximação do fim de vida útil das fragatas da Classe Vasco da Gama e Classe Bartolomeu Dias, e consequente obsolescência e falta de disponibilidade das suas unidades combatentes de primeira linha, expõem Portugal a perdas de credibilidade como produtor de segurança no seio da Organização do Tratado do Atlântico Norte (OTAN). Este estudo de caso analisa uma possível solução, com elevado impacto estratégico, possibilitada pelo desenho flexível e capacidades modulares antissubmarinas (ASW) e de contramedidas de minas (MCM) dos Navios de Patrulha Oceânica (NPO) da terceira série da Classe Viana do Castelo. O estudo conclui que as características dos NPO de terceira série da Classe Viana do Castelo permitem a Portugal continuar a integrar as forças navais permanentes da OTAN, constituindo-se como um contributo nacional credível para o reforço da postura marítima da Aliança Atlântica. Abstract: The approaching end of life cycle of Portugal´s first line combatants, the Vasco da Gama and Bartolomeu Dias Class Frigates, and their resulting obsolescence and lack of availability, expose Portugal to a loss of credibility as a security provider within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). This Case study analyses a possible high strategic impact solution, enabled by the flexible design and modular anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and mine counter measures (MCM) capabilities of the third batch of Viana do Castelo Class Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV). The study concludes that the characteristics of the third batch Viana do Castelo Class OPV allow Portugal to continue to integrate NATO’s Standing Naval Forces (SNF), constituting a credible national contribution to the Alliance’s reinforced maritime posture.N/

Potencial económico da bolota em Portugal: Análise Exploratória

info:eu-repo/semantics/draf

Forest Land Ownership Changes in Portugal

Publisher PD