The value components of contract farming in contemporary capitalism

Contract farming (CF) has generally been understood as, essentially, a market institution—by both (approving) “mainstream” and (critical) “radical” perspectives. Analyses of relations of production have, meanwhile, tended towards a problematic “peasantist” frame, where contracts undermine farmer “autonomy” in processes of “flexible” corporate agro‐industrial restructuring. This paper argues that a materialist analysis of CF from within capital–labour relations offers a stronger conceptual foundation for re‐synthesizing questions of market‐power. It first argues that radical notions of “peasant subsumation” conceptually mirror Marx's “formal subsumption of capital” but underplay dynamics of “real subsumption” accompanying capitalism's wider development. Drawing on the “petty commodity production” concept, it then argues that CF's “flexibility” rests in its differential content. CF's fungibility to contradictory movements of “integration” and “dispersion” enables it to emphasize different methods of surplus appropriation under shifting conditions; each corresponding to a different dominant social tendency. On the one hand, conditions of market expansion inspire integration for relative surplus appropriation through raised productivity, and CF tends to act as a “tool of proletarianization” in the wider centralization of capital. On the other, conditions of contraction motivate the dispersal of unvalorized capital, prompting efforts to raise absolute surplus appropriation, and CF tends to act as a “tool of differentiation” to concentrate agricultural capital.     

Insights into a black box! Comparison of organizational modes and their monetary implications for the producers of short rotation coppice (SRC) in Brandenburg/Germany

A substantial change in energy policy in Germany towards the substitution of fossil, nonrenewable energy resources is part of a current political and social process. This change has been accelerated by the government’s decision in summer 2011 to phase out nuclear energy, a direct result of the nuclear disaster in Fukushima, Japan. As part of this development, new business activities and modes of organization for the provisioning of energy from alternative sources have emerged; one such activity is short rotation coppice (SRC) cultivation on agricultural land. In this paper, we compare the two prevailing organizational modes for SRC: independent production and contract farming. We use a mixed-methods approach to examine these modes from the producers’ point of view in Brandenburg/Germany. First, we give reasons for the producer’s choice between these two modes of organization based on the interviewee’s qualitative assessment of how these modes cope with perceived SRC-related challenges e.g. uncertainties. As economic uncertainty plays a major role in both refusal to adopt SRC and the choice of the mode of organization for SRC production, we secondly model the unknown economic outcome of the independent mode. We thereby give insights into the “black box”. This consists on the one hand of lacking economic figures for an economic comparison of both modes, and on the other hand of the producer’s decision-making process between both modes. For the latter, we use the theoretical approach of transaction costs to display ostensible non-monetary decision factors. Using a known monetary reference for the contract farming mode, we are able firstly to support a comparison of economic factors and secondly to identify and interpret the critical variables whose manifestations and/or changes are decisive for the economic outcome. The modelling results show that neither of the two modes performs better per se. This finding suggests that the weight ascribed to the transaction costs of SRC in each individual producer’s decision-making process is decisive for the producer’s choice of mode.     

Using scenario-based influence mapping to examine farmers’ biosecurity behaviour

Understanding of farmers’ influences relating to biosecurity is surprisingly weak, beyond general remarks that farmers tend to trust their private vet. Previous studies have explored influences in relation to single issue events. There is a need for better methodologies to fully appreciate how farmers’ biosecurity practices are shaped. Using bovine Tuberculosis as a case study, this paper uses stakeholder mapping methods applied across different scenarios. The aim is to identify how farmers’ responses to animal disease policy are shaped by their relationships with different actors. Interviews were conducted with 50 farmers in three areas in England. Farmers were presented with four scenarios to control bovine Tuberculosis: 1) a badger cull, 2) an oral badger vaccine, 3) a cattle vaccine and 4) a range of control measures. The results show that as things get more uncertain, government institutions become more influential. Government institutions and government vets are also important in situations where farmers do not consider themselves ‘experts’ i.e. vaccination as opposed to culling. The influence of other farmers was not universal; it differed between scenarios. These data show the value of scenario-based stakeholder mapping as a methodology that can enable biosecurity researchers to: more accurately and systematically determine stakeholder influence and understand how these influences change and evolve; understand the role of farmer biosecurity practices, the self-concept and ‘good farming’; and identify broader logics of biosecurity that influence and potentially frustrate animal disease policy goals.     

Strategies for integrating farmers into modern vegetable supply chains in Vietnam: farmer attitudes and willingness to accept

In Vietnam, the development of so‐called ‘modern’ vegetable supply chains is receiving considerable interest amongst researchers and governments. This interest partly stems from the view that enhancements in food safety can be achieved if farmers are willing to adopt supply chains that are often associated with ‘western’ forms of retailing. Our study investigates farmers’ willingness to change to two ‘modern’ alternatives – a supply model based on cooperatives and another based on investors facilitating the change. Using discrete choice data drawn from 412 farmers, mixed logit models in willingness to pay space are developed that reveal the relative importance of different drivers of change. The paper offers insights that can inform governments about the incentives required to bring about change. In addition, the paper illustrates the novel application of a choice experiment to enumerating the perceived costs of changes in vegetable supply chains.     

EU quality labels in the Italian olive oil market: How much overlap is there between geographical indication and organic production?

In the early 1990s, the European Union established two main quality schemes: geographical indications (GIs) and organic production (OP). Despite the abundant literature on the EU quality schemes applied to many food categories, including extra virgin olive oil, in most studies, GIs and OP are analysed separately, under the assumption that they are independent. This study aims to prove that synergies exist between GIs and OP labels. We analysed EU labelling on GIs and organic attributes simultaneously using bivariate probit models, and also assessed the level of independence from each other. A survey was administered to Italian consumers to elicit their purchasing behaviour of olive oil. The results found a correlation between the two certifications, highlighting the promising use of both certifications for olive oil products.     

耕作制度发展矛盾及其对策

建国50年来，我国的耕作制度发生了翻天覆地的变化，耕作制度的改革有了新的起点与突破，仅以占全世界7％的耕地养活了占全世界22％的人口。然而，在取得了举世瞩目的成就的同时，耕作制度也面临突出的矛盾和严峻的挑战。对此，从耕作制度的发展趋势看，应采取积极对策，保证农业的持续稳定发展。     

川西高原农牧业与生态环境耦合协调度量化研究

[目的]研究农牧业与生态环境的可持续发展对于川西地区区域经济发展具有重要意义,为今后治理川西地区生态环境提供参考。[方法]文章在分析川西高原农牧业与生态环境发展现状基础上,运用物理学中的耦合理论,构建耦合评价指标体系,并分析农牧业与生态环境二者间的耦合协调关系。[结果]2000~2013年川西高原农牧业综合评价指数总体呈上升趋势,而生态环境综合评价指数总体呈下降趋势;耦合度在14年间基本保持在0.49左右;耦合协调度呈反复上升下降的波动趋势,总体呈下降趋势,变化率极小,耦合协调度的类型14年间都处于中度耦合协调。[结论]农牧业与生态环境之间存在明显的耦合关系,二者相互作用,彼此影响。两系统耦合协调等级较低,均濒临失衡,而农牧业与生态环境之间的对比关系类型逐渐由生态环境敏感型转变为生态环境风险型,有向生态环境恶化型转变的趋势,各地区当中阿坝州的恶化情况最为严重,攀枝花市状况较好。     

Determinants of Consumer Behavioral Intention Toward Social Farm Food

The study authors investigate consumer reactivity to social and health concerns, social farm food’s perceived quality, and whether these attitudes can be expected to influence their behavioral intention with regard to these products. Data were collect on a convenience sample (N?=?361) via a questionnaire. Five hypotheses, concerning the relationships between social consciousness, health consciousness, social farm food perceived quality, and consumer behavioral intention, were tested via a structural equation model. The results indicate that both social consciousness and health consciousness have a positive impact on social farm food perceived quality. Consumer behavioral intention is directly influenced only by health consciousness but indirectly by both social and health consciousness, via the attribute of social farm food perceived quality. The findings depict a particular reactivity of potential consumers. The study provides a general outline of questions or studies that might be useful in the future.     

甘肃中部地区农村劳动力转移的问题及对策

甘肃中部地区在农村劳动力转移过程中出现了从未有过的"五化"(整体人口低能化、劳动者队伍的老龄化、村庄凋敝化、公共管理弱化、男性鳏夫化)现象。通过对该现象进行深入分析,有针对性地提出了大力提高农村人口素质,创新农地产权制度,大力发展民营企业,着力推进农村就业公共服务体系建设,有序、较快推进农村城镇化等对策建议。     

Why Isn’t More US Farmland Organic?

We develop a theoretical model to assess the dollar compensation required to induce conventional growers to convert to organic. The model incorporates the uncertainty in producers’ expectations about future returns and about the impact of policy changes on these expectations in particular. We demonstrate that a new policy which favours organic can have opposing effects on the rate of conversion. An increase in relative returns to organic today will increase conversion rates. However, if the future of the policy programme is uncertain, its introduction can increase the value of waiting to switch, which will decrease conversion rates. We then develop an empirical switching regression model that enables direct estimation of the value associated with being able to postpone the conversion decision until some of the uncertainty is resolved. The model is applied to data on organic and conventional soybeans before and after major changes in US farm policy toward organic growers. The results suggest that sunk costs associated with conversion to organic coupled with uncertainty about future returns can help to explain why there is so little organic farmland in the USA.