Economic Concepts of Organic Certification

Certification is a key element in marketing organic food products. Based on economic theory, this report wants to illustrate the economic reasoning for certification. The intention is to provide a description of economic concepts, which is understandable for a wider audience. We are focusing on the basic economic literature. Chapter 1 “Organic certification system” describes the current control system in the European Union. Why this is necessary, will then be explained based on a synopsis of economic literature. Of specific significance for organic certification and the CERTCOST project are the concepts of institutional economics and economics of crime. The relevant points of economic theory will be presented and discussed in chapter 2 “Theoretical framework”. Finally, the costs and benefits of organic certification will be illustrated in chapter 3 “Costs and benefits of organic certification”

Zur Ökonomik der Kontrollmaßnahmen bei Lebensmitteln und Futtermitteln

The objective of this article is to describe and to analyse the basic relationships between control frequency, amount of fines, other social sanctions, the producers‘ capability to influence certain attributes (including costs of quality assurance) and damage incidence in the field of food and feedstuffs safety. For this purpose an economic model is developed that minimizes monitoring costs including (a) the harm prevented and (b) the revenues from fines. First, monitoring measures are optimized by exclusively taking account of the interests of consumers and taxpayers. In a second step, the model is enlarged by adding constraints relative to the costs of quality assurance so that aspects of both producer welfare and total social costs are explicitly accounted for when simultaneously optimizing the probability of detection and the degree of punishment. The results derived from the model show among other things: - From an economic point of view legal regulation (i.e. the setting of performance standards) is advisable only in cases of comparatively high potential damages. - Even when the entire production is to be free from certain residues, it is often not necessary to check all units of the commodity considered. - In the presence of (a) poor possibilities to influence an attribute - or a wide range of quality assurance costs among producers - and (b) prospective damages which justify a control frequency of one hundred percent, no fines at all should be stipulated in order to avoid allocative distortions. - In the case of strong social sanctions (e.g. losses of reputation), all else being equal the control frequency may be lowered considerably. Against the background of these conclusions the application of uniform control frequencies is inappropriate. Instead, every food control authority should be free to choose the size of samples, taking into account not only the given structure of fines but also its knowledge concerning the market specific social sanctions, monitoring costs, the extent of potential damages from legal transgressions as well as the producers’ possibilities and costs of influencing the relevant food or feedstuffs attributes.food safety, opportunism, fines, deterrence, monitoring costs, economics of crime, law enforcement, economics of information, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,

Snake Mind, Wolf Body, Panther Courage: Jojo Rabbit as a Critique of Hegemonic Masculinity

In 2019, the movie Jojo Rabbit (Waititi, 2019) was released to theaters. Because the film uses comedy and satire to tell a story about Jojo, a young Nazi who has Hitler as an imaginary friend, it received mix reviews. This analysis focuses on how the movie sheds light on the negative influence of hegemonic masculinity. Hegemonic masculinity refers to the messages and actions that place men above women or types of masculinity above femininity and other masculinities. Jojo’s desire to be a Nazi is deeply connected to his desire to be man. This analysis examines how hegemonic masculinity a) can limit the definition of manhood in negative ways b) pressures men and boys to prove or defend their manhood, and c) influences how boys and men use violence, threats, and public humiliation to police each one another’s masculinity. By understanding the film in this way, we can better understand how messages of hegemonic masculinity support extremist beliefs like white supremacy and neo-Nazism. We can also see how beliefs about male superiority harm everyone, even boys and men

Determinants of Spatial Distribution of Organic Farming in Germany

The share of organically managed land is spread unevenly throughout Germany and shows pronounced regional concentrations. The spatial distribution of organic farming is assumed to be influenced by several factors. Location factors of farms are regionally different and thus may influence the spatial distribution of organic farming. Agglomeration effects and therefore spatial dependence are also considered important in determining spatial distribution. These factors with a potential influence on the spatial distribution of organic farming can be divided into four categories: natural factors, farm-structure factors, socio-economic factors and political factors. Their possible influence on the spatial distribution of organic farming is analysed by several statistical methods: ordinary least square regression model, spatial autoregressive models, analysis of variance and Spearman correlation. Of the analysed factors, spatial contiguity has the strongest influence on the spatial distribution of organic farming (indicating relevant agglomeration effects)

EXPLAINING THE CLIMATE-DEPENDENT DISTRIBUTION OF CROPS IN SPACE –THE EXAMPLE OF CORN AND CORN-COB-MIX IN BADEN-WÜRTTEMBERG

This article analyses the current climate-dependent spatial distribution of corn and corn-cob-mix in Baden-Württemberg using 2007 data at the county and community level. We use OLS and spatial econometric models to estimate the effects of different climate and non-climate variables on the share of grain maize in UAA. Whereas the temperature effect is missed by means of OLS regression, the adequate spatial error model at the county level yields a highly significant positive effect of mean annual temperature. Additionally, it displays a temperature cut-off point after which corn share is less likely to rise due to temperature increase. These effects are supported by a non-spatial multinomial logit model at the community level. The latter further indicates that soil quality also plays a role. The positive effect of annual precipitation remains ambiguous.Spatial distribution of corn, spatial econometrics, multinomial logit, climate change, Agribusiness, Crop Production/Industries,

Agrarpolitische Interessen Frankreichs und Deutschlands – Gemeinsamkeiten und Divergenzen unter sich ändernden Rahmenbedingungen

The aim of this contribution is to examine how the French and the German positions on agricultural policy have developed since the foundation of the EEC and what the driving forces were behind. The “general consensus†underlying the EEC treaty, and according to which the common market would be “conquered†by France in the case of the classical agricultural products, could not be translated into practice; for what emerged for these products was not a customs union but a “price support unionâ€. As a consequence French intra-community agricultural exports had to be redirected to the world market. Thus initial positive French income transfers via intracommunity trade were transformed into transfers from the EC budget, an evolution that can be interpreted as a “modification of the general consensusâ€. However, this was not to last long either since the policy of price support, plus the unlimited obligation for the state to purchase any production surpluses, were bound to cause increasing budget costs and an aggravation of international trade conflicts. The fact that in the ensuing discussions on the CAP France favored price cuts while the Federal Republic pleaded for quantitative restrictions, is explained with the help of a partial analysis model. Moreover, the article also explains further divergences between the French and the German agricultural policy positions. In so doing, account is also taken of (a) the modifications of the German positions after reunification and (b) the new accents that have appeared in French agricultural policy after the change in government in 1997.CAP, agricultural policy, European Union, France, Germany, EEC Treaty, price cuts, quantitative restrictions, agenda 2000, Agricultural and Food Policy, Political Economy,

Modelling risk-based inspections in EU organic certification: data requirements and analysis tools

A Risk Based Inspection (RBI) scheme is a planning tool used to develop the optimum plan for the execution of inspection activities. Organic certification system could benefit from the implementation of RBIs in terms of higher effectiveness, i.e. trustability, and lower transaction costs for organic operators. Data from certification bodies provide basic information about non-compliances and structural aspects of organic operators. Here we propose a methodological approach to risk analysis modelling, based on discrete choice models and Bayesian networks, both aiming at the identification of key risk factor in the organic certification process in the European Union

Die Bestimmungsgründe der deutschen Landpachtpreise in Abhängigkeit vom Flächenstatus

The BÖLN-funded project assesses the current situation of the land rental market in Germany and, thereby, accounts for spatial aspects. We will draw on secondary data from the official German farm census conducted in 2010 to analyse determinants of land rental prices and their potential differences in space. Using spatial econometric methods we aim at analysing information on organic and conventional farms. To fill gaps in knowledge and experience and to ensure the practical relevance of the results, we will additionally perform explorative interviews with organic landlords and conduct a one-day workshop with experts from the organic farming sector. Based on two different empirical approaches, recommendations enhancing the competitiveness of organic farming shall be give

Die Überwachung der Öko-Kontrolle in Deutschland – ein Ansatzpunkt zur Erhöhung des Verbrauchervertrauens

Die Analyse der im Jahre 2007 von Deutschland an die Europäische Kommission zu deren Überwachung des Kontrollsystems gemeldeten Daten offenbart signifikante Unterschiede im Kontroll- und Sanktionsverhalten zwischen einzelnen Kontrollstellen. Dieser Beitrag versucht auf der Basis der vorliegenden Daten, die Unterschiede zu erklären und diskutiert weitere, mögliche Einflussfaktoren

Öko-Pacht - Die Bestimmungsgründe der Landpachtpreise in Deutschland - eine Analyse zur Verbesserung der Wettbewerbsfähigkeit ökologischer und anderer besonders nachhaltiger Landwirtschaft

Das zentrale Ziel des Forschungsprojektes ist es, Empfehlungen für eine Verbesserung der Wettbewerbsfähigkeit des ökologischen Landbaus auf dem Landpachtmarkt zu geben. Dazu werden zunächst die aktuelle Situation auf dem deutschen Landpachtmarkt analysiert und mögliche Hemmnisse für den ökologischen Landbau identifiziert. In der Studie kommen sowohl quantitative als auch qualitative Forschungsansätze zum Einsatz. Der räumlich ökonometrische Ansatz untersucht Daten der Landwirtschaftszählung 2010 und erklärt Pachtpreisunterschiede zwischen konventionellen und ökologischen Betrieben mit betriebswirtschaftlichen, natürlichen und agrarpolitischen Faktoren. Um Wissens- und Erfahrungslücken zu schließen und die Relevanz der Ergebnisse für die Praxis zu sichern, fließt zudem die Expertise von Vertretern des ökologischen Sektors in Form eines Experten-Workshops und mittels explorativer Interviews in die Studie ein. Aus den Ergebnissen der drei Forschungsansätze werden dann Empfehlungen für eine Verbesserung der Wettbewerbsfähigkeit des ökologischen Landbaus auf dem Landpachtmarkt synthetisiert. Viele Herausforderungen am Landpachtmarkt scheinen nicht spezifisch für den Ökolandbau zu sein, was ein nicht erwartetes Ergebnis ist. Im Durchschnitt zahlen Öko-Betriebe niedrigere Pachtpreise als konventionelle Betriebe. Dennoch stehen Öko-Landwirte vor einigen besonderen Herausforderungen am Landpachtmarkt: Die Umstellung von Flächen auf den Ökolandbau bedeutet z.B. eine zusätzliche Investition in den Boden und von Seiten der Verpächter bestehen z.T. Vorbehalte gegenüber der ökologischen Wirtschaftsweise. Um bestehende Hemmnisse überwinden zu können, werden in dieser Studie drei wichtige Bereiche aufgezeigt, in denen Maßnahmen auf Betriebs-, Verbands- und/oder der staatlichen Ebene die aktuelle Situation des Ökolandbaus verbessern könnten: (i) Die gezielte Pflege des sozialen Umfeldes insbesondere des Pächter-Verpächter-Verhältnisses (bspw. mit einem „Jahresbericht“ für Verpächter), (ii) die Entwicklung eines positiven Öko-Images in der Region (etwa durch Informationsschilder am Feldrand) und (iii) die Stärkung der flächenbezogenen Wettbewerbsfähigkeit des Ökolandbaus (z.B. durch angepasste Förderzeiträume der Agrarumweltmaßnahmen)