Conclusions
- New forms of collective farmers’ marketing that go beyond traditional cooperative mechanisms can be observed across Europe
- These can be understood as responses to changing market, policy and societal contexts:
-- Loss of control over supply chains due to dominant position of retailers and concentration in retailing & processing
-- Increased production / processing standards
-- Growing differentiation of rural areas, evolving urbanrural relations, and changes in EU rural policy frameworks new opportunities
-- New markets for distinctive food qualities, services & public goods
- Collective organic farmers’ marketing initiatives apply a diversity of strategies sometimes in combination that are crucial to understand their functioning and (potential) impact
