bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Die Entscheidungen des 'Dispute Settlement'-Verfahrens der WTO im Hormonstreit zwischen der EU und den USA - Implikationen für den zukünftigen Umgang mit dem SPS-Abkommen
Authors: Kramb Marc Christopher
Published: August 2024

The decision of the WTO dispute settlement in the hormone dispute between the EC and the USA - implications for further handling of the SPS-agreement Institutions should reduce uncertainty and the costs of transaction with their regulating activities. This target was pursued at an international level with the foundation of the WTO. With an extensive treaty and a new dispute settlement procedure, the WTO was founded as the institutional platform for international co-operation. In view of the growing conflicts in international trade, the hope to create with this institution an international trade order, in which legally comprehensible decisions dominate and power-oriented politics are deterred, is fading. The case of the hormone dispute shows that the target of a fast harmonization of international standards cannot be reached in critical trade disputes. A solo effort in the area of trade measures that is introduced with the reason to protect consumers is still possible.
Möglichkeiten zur Umsetzung integrierter Fördermaßnahmen an der Schnittstelle Landwirtschaft, Umwelt, Ländliche Entwicklung im Rahmen der Verordnung (EG) Nr. 1257/99
Authors: Knickel Karlheinz
Published: August 2024

Possibilities for integrated support measures at the interface of agriculture, environment and rural development in the context of EC Regulation 1257/99
EC Regulation 1257/99 of 17 May 1999 underlines the intention of the European Commission of an integrated rural development policy. In this paper the chances are examined that this new policy orientation offers for a more multifunctional agriculture. Possibilities for the implementation of integrated support measures at the interface of agriculture, environment and rural development are presented. First, functional relationships between agriculture and rural development are explored on the basis of three examples. This is followed by a more analytical section on relevant experiences, data and concepts. The significance of 'new', agriculture-related activities in rural areas is underlined. A paradigm shift from volumes and costs of production towards quality and value added is demanded. The paper concludes with a discussion of the perspectives for a multifunctional agriculture and a plead for rural development measures that are in support of this reorientation.
On the efficiency of farms in Brandenburg - A data envelopment analysis
Authors: Balmann Alfons , Czasch Britta
Published: August 2024

The transition of East German agriculture led to major structural adjustments that showed some very particular phenomena. For instance, most of the successors of the former agricultural production cooperatives (LPGs) make slight losses and they operate at a higher employment level than new and re-established farms. In this paper we try to explain these phenomena with the farms' history prior to the transition period. Particular attention is given to sunk costs, the identity of members and employees, and old debts. A Data Envelopment Analysis of 210 financial statements distributed over the financial years 1992/93 to 1995/96 gives evidence that these historical arguments had a decisive impact on the farms' behaviour. However, this impact decreases over time, particularly because of a gradual replacement of assets.
Determinants of price-cost-margins over the business cycle for food industries: An international comparison
Authors: Körner Julia , Weiss Christoph
Published: August 2024

Based upon the structure-conduct-performance approach the present paper analyses determinants of price-cost-margins over the business cycle for food industries in Germany, the USA as well as the Netherlands. Controlling for market structure variables, cyclical fluctuations in profitability are interpreted as evidence for changes in firm behaviour. The econometric panel data models reveal pro-cyclic fluctuations of profits in highly concentrated industries in Germany. In contrast, profitability in competitive industries in Germany as well as in all US food industries are found to be more stable over the business cycle. This observation is explicable in terms of a more aggressive behaviour of firms in boom periods. The econometric model does not adequately explain industry differences in profitability in the Netherlands.
Impacts of environmental regulations on the efficiency of arable farms in France and Germany
Authors: Piot-Lepetit Isabelle , Brümmer Bernhard , Kleinhanss Werner
Published: August 2024

This paper develops a methodology for asymmetric treatment of desirable and undesirable outputs. First, a hyperbolic output efficiency measurement is used to describe a middle term transformation of production processes where producers try to improve their competitiveness together with a reduction of the negative impact on the environment. Second, a radial efficiency measurement, called directional output distance function, is used to depict a long-term transformation of the production process. A non-parametric Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and a Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA) are used to evaluate the impact of agricultural policy changes, both in France and Germany, on the technical and environmental efficiency of arable farms, taking into account participation or not in agri-environmental programs. The results from both methods indicate only limited possibilities for environmental improvements, mainly for farms participating in agri-environmental programs.
Risk perception and consumer trust after a food scare: An experimental analysis
Authors: Böcker Andreas , Albrecht Silke
Published: August 2024

An expected utility model with Baysean information processing that explains the extent of consumer reaction to a food scare by the degree of supplier differentiation with respect to reliability is put to an experimental test. The empirical results offer no support for the theoretical prediction that post food scare consumer trust in a particular supplier decreases with an increasing degree of differentiation. While gender and personal experience with a food poisoning contribute significantly to the explanation of the individual level of consumer trust after the - hypothetical - food safety incident, perceived characteristics of the specific risk factor listeriosis chosen for this study had by far the biggest impact.
Scenarios for the Food Industry in 2010
Authors: Harmsen Hanne , Jensen Birger B. , Sonne Anne-Mette
Published: August 2024

While predicting the future is impossible, corporate decision-makers have to decide which competencies to develop precisely on this basis. This article presents the results of a research project on scenario analyses in the Danish food industry. The aim of the study is to look at alternative visions of the future of the food industry and to assess their implications for competence requirements. Given the uncertain nature of the environment, food companies cannot rely on today's competencies being sufficient to fulfil the demands of tomorrow's markets. However, predicting the determinants of success in the food industry 10 years hence is a daunting task. Scenario techniques can be very useful in this respect (VON REIBNITZ, 1988). The contribution of the article is the methodological approach to scenario building, which combines academic and industry input and translates the scenarios into the required competencies in each scenario. From an industry point of view, the competencies identified in each scenario can stimulate discussions of strategic choice in the food sector.
A Comparison of Successful and Less Successful Organic Farms in Germany
Authors: Nieberg Hiltrud
Published: August 2024

The conversion to organic farming has proven to be an economically interesting alternative for a large portion of the converted farms in the past. This contribution will consider the question of which factors influence the success of organic farming. The basis for the study is a series of data taken from the converting farms themselves as well as data of the farm accountancy data network. The success of conversion is measured by the profit difference in comparison to a conventional reference group, while the absolute performance of the organic farm is assessed classically on the basis of the profit per family work unit. The results show that the successful farms are more likely to be arable farms. Successful organic farms tend to produce in a more market-oriented manner. They get higher prices and produce a large number of products that can be sold for especially high prices on the organic market. As is to be expected, the successful farms also receive higher natural yields than the less successful farms and produce at a comparatively lower cost. Also, organic grants provide a lesser portion of their income, and they are thus less dependent on agricultural policies as less successful farms. A consideration of the most important socio-economic indices shows that successful farms are primarily those which are farmed full time. The farmers also have a comparatively above-average education in agriculture. A discussion of the most important consequences for politics and agricultural practice conclude this paper, drawn on the most important factors identified in the study.
Price Policy for Organic Food: a Neo-institutional Approach
Authors: Spiller Achim
Published: August 2024

Price premiums are recognized as a central barrier for the diffusion of organic food. On average, the consumer has to pay about 50 % more for organic food than for comparable products. This is also true for large retailers although considerable economies of scale could be expected. Against this background the following article analyzes pricing strategies of supermarkets. It appears evident that higher prices of organic food reflect higher costs of production and lower output, but primarily this is due to inefficient structures in processing and marketing. Furthermore, the pressures of competition in the market are low; price reductions and bargain sales are avoided by competitors. If the premium prices are compared with the results of market research, a large discrepancy between the willingness to pay for organic food and actual prices will be found. By means of a conjoint analysis the managerial inefficiencies of this pricing policy can be proven. Finally, the paper gives theoretical justification for the current pricing policy of large retailers. We present a neo-institutional organizational approach to identify reasons for imitative behaviour. Similar pricing strategies of all retailers can be considered as a process of mimetic isomorphism. Particular emphasis is placed on high managerial uncertainty and pressure of stakeholders.
Reale Optionen und Landwirtschaftliche Betriebslehre - oder: Kann man mit der Optionspreistheorie arbitrieren?
Authors: Odening Martin , Musshoff Oliver
Published: August 2024

Real Options: Concept, Methods and Applicability in Agricultural EconomicsThis paper discusses the real options approach to investment. Real options facilitate an analysis of investment under uncertainty explicitly taking into account irreversibility of the investment decision and flexibility with respect to the investment timing. This is achieved by exploiting the analogy between a financial option and an investment project. We pinpoint the relation to traditional methods of capital budgeting as well as the special features of this concept, namely the exclusion of arbitrage opportunities and the independence of individual risk preferences. Analytical and numerical solution procedures for option pricing are presented. An application to investments in hog finishing illustrates the main ideas of the real options approach. It turns out that compared to traditional investment criteria, e.g. the net present value, the optimal investment trigger is considerably higher. Hence real options give an explanation for economic hysteresis. The reason for the increase of the investment trigger is that the opportunity to delay the investment decision, i.e. the value of waiting, causes opportunity costs that have to be covered by the expected investment returns. Finally model extensions, which consider different stochastic processes, compound real options, and competition, are discussed.
Time Preference and Time Consistency:
Authors: Weikard Hans-Peter
Published: August 2024

On the Rationality of Sequential ChoiceThe paper discusses the problem of discounting, time preference, and time consistent decision making. While a constant pure rate of time preference leads to consistent consumption plans, other discounting schemes - like hyperbolic discounting - do not. Using a so-called money pump argument, time inconsistencies can be shown to be irrational. The paper also explores the use of a hedonic utility concept to explain sequential choice behaviour.
Agricultural Policy and the Path of Virtue
Authors: Grosskopf Werner
Published: August 2024

In the next five years the efforts of reforming the common agricultural policy need to be reinforced. One reason is the requirement to intensify the international trade with agricultural products, particularly for development policy reasons. Furthermore, a restructuring of the EU-finances concerning the regional and structural development within the framework of the EU-enlargement and a more intensive management of the natural capital is forthcoming. Starting from the three-dimensional target of sustainability the basic principles of the political alignment are discussed and in particular applied on compliance with the TINBERGEN Principle. The arguments against an accelerated liberalization of agricultural production in the EU are evaluated. Concerning the extent of liberalization it is shown, that there must be distinguished between industrialized and developing countries. Moreover, the study points out the importance of the principle of subsidiarity, due to the fact that overcoming the path-dependency can only be achieved by pursuing this principle.
Welternährung: Qualität und Quantität!
Authors: Von Witzke Harald
Published: August 2024

Dieser Artikel ist nur in deutscher Sprache verfügbar.
The article is only available in German language.
Zukunft der agrar- und ernährungsökonomischen Forschung und Lehre
Authors: Buchenrieder Gertrud , Von Cramon-Taubadel Stephan , Heckelei Thomas , Wehrheim Peter , Weiss Christoph
Published: August 2024

Dieser Artikel ist nur in deutscher Sprache verfügbar.
The article is only available in German language.
Steuerung der Landnutzung durch Raumplanung: Instrumente und Kooperationsprobleme zwischen Landwirtschaft und Naturschutz
Authors: Exler Kathrin
Published: August 2024

Managing the Use of Land by Means of Regional Planning: Instruments and Collaboration Problems between the Farming Community and Nature ConservationAfter describing a series of plans with implications for land use, this study aims to examine the collaboration problems which exist between the main groups involved and elaborate on potential legal solutions. Main results are the following:1. German law requires that the interests of the farming community and nature conservation are taken into account in the overall consideration of planning decisions. Any specialist plans already available - bearing in mind the different procedures existing between the various federal states - must also be integrated into the planning process. 2. If farming interests or the interests of nature conservation and countryside protection cannot be asserted in the overall planning process as laid down by the law, the decisions are in many cases political and, as such, cannot be dealt with by legal means. In legal terms, the interests are already recognised as having equal status.3. The rivalry frequently encountered between the farming community and nature conservation over the use of land mostly occurs when the land is intended to be used for other purposes (i.e. for housing development, infrastructure etc.). The necessity for conservation-related compensation creates a relationship of tension which in many cases is not directly attributable to nature conservation and farming. An example is the low amount of conservation-related compensation when viewed in comparison with a housing development project.4. The law only partially regulates the coordination of nature-preservation and agrarian specialist planning. However, both sides - the farming community (consideration of high-yielding land) and conservation (upgrading the chances of realising landscape planning) have an equal interest in seeing coordinated measures implemented at an early stage. In practice, an adequate procedure has already been developed. In legal terms, however, it is difficult to register and cope with the possibilities and problems associated with the informal methods of coordination.5. Ultimately, the success of the coordination and collaboration depends largely on the commitment shown by the parties involved. However, the coordination of regional planning instruments at an early stage does not solve the problems of acceptance between the farming community and nature conservation as long as the realisation of legal conservationist measures are financially unattractive for farmers or could even jeopardise their existence.
Die zukünftige Ausgestaltung der Direktzahlungen - Eine quantitative Analyse möglicher Reformen in einer erweiterten Europäischen Union
Authors: Banse Martin , Nölle Ferdinand
Published: August 2024

Reforming Direct Payments in the EU - A Quantitative Analysis for an Enlarged EUThe introduction of the current Common European Agricultural Policy in ten new member states in central and eastern Europe will be a major financial challenge for the European Union. On the basis of the partial equilibrium model ESIM this article analyses potential consequences of different options for a reformed CAP. While the impact on agricultural markets will be relatively small, the financial burden of a harmonisation of agricultural policies and an introduction of direct payments in the new member states has to be carried mainly by the old member states of the EU-15. The burden of the main net-payers, especially Germany, would be significantly lower, if CAP were reformed according to the proposals of the EU-Commission's Mid-term Report. However, the remaining negative impacts on world agricultural trade and on world market prices for agricultural products, clearly show the necessity of a further reform of the CAP.
Budgetary Effects of Including the CEC into Dynamic Modulation
Authors: Banse Martin , Grethe Harald
Published: August 2024

The EU Commission suggests to exclude CEC from the dynamic modulation mechanism, being part of the MTR package. This article looks at the distributional aspects of including the CEC into dynamic modulation. Under the current accession proposal the CEC would account for only 18% of the rural development budget by 2006. If modulation would be realised with the CEC being excluded this share would drop to 14% by 2010. According to the criteria proposed by the Commission for the distribution of the modulation budget the CEC would get a higher share of the modulation budget if they were included as they account for high shares in agricultural area and employment, and their GDP per capita is relatively low. Based on the assumptions made for this article they would be eligible for about 66% of the modulation budget. As a result of their participation in the modulation mechanism their share in the rural development budget would be at 30% by 2010. The financial net gains for the CEC from participation are estimated to be at 1.7 bln. Euro.
Der Markt für Zucker
Authors: Sommer Ulrich
Published: August 2024

Sugar MarketFollowing rich crops in almost all bigger producer countries estimated world sugar stocks have increased over the marketing year 2001/02 and destroyed hopes for future world prices to slowly increase. Expectations that China would fill its tariff quota of some 1.76 mt did not materialise. China and Russia are obviously aiming at increased self sufficiency, Brazil took advantage of both a big sugar cane crop and a devalued Real/Dollar currency rate, and some sugar importing countries made investments in refinery plants - all those developments tending to increase competition at the world white sugar market where the EU is normally disposing of its sugar surplus. Moreover, the hitherto well protected EU sugar market is slowly coming under stiffening pressure: the WTO restrictions concerning export subsidies are binding, under the EBA agreement some developing countries will get a chance to export sugar into the EU, and Brasil and Australia challenge EU subsidised sugar exports before the WTO.
Die Quantifizierung von Marktrisiken in der Tierproduktion mittels Value-at-Risk und Extreme-Value-Theory
Authors: Odening Martin , Hinrichs Jan
Published: August 2024

Quantification of Market Risk in Livestock Production Using Value-at-Risk and Extreme-Value-TheoryThe objective of this paper is to investigate the performance of different Value-at-Risk (VaR) models in the context of risk assessment in hog production. The paper starts with a description of traditional VaR models, i.e. Variance-Covariance-Method (VCM) and Historical Simulation (HS). We address two well known problems, namely the fat tailedness of return distributions and the time aggregation of VaR forecasts. Afterwards, Extreme-Value-Theory (EVT) is introduced in order to overcome these problems. The previously described methods are then used to calculate the VaR of hog production under German market conditions. It turns out that EVT, VCM, and HS lead to different VaR forecasts if the return distributions are fat tailed and if the forecast horizon is long. Finally, we discuss the strengths and weaknesses of these rather new risk management methods thereby trying to identify fields for potential applications in the agribusiness.
Interactive Programming in Agricultural and Environmental Programme Planning
Authors: Kirschke Dieter , Jechlitschka Kurt
Published: August 2024

Planning agricultural and environmental programmes has become a complex task. In this paper we show how interactive programming can help to solve such complex policy decision-making problems. The basic linear programming model is implemented with Excel. We show, for a hypothetical agricultural and environmental programme, how the approach can be used in an interactive way between scientists and policy decision-makers. The approach allows to visually demonstrate and quickly assess the consequences of changing assumptions and framework conditions on the programme design. It could effectively improve the quality of policy decision-making support; it requires the actors’ willingness, of course, to engage in a real dialogue.
Effective prices' as a device to analyze the impact of the Agenda 2000 and Mid-Term Review policy reforms on dairy and beef: measurement and simulation results for Germany
Authors: Jongeneel Roelof A.
Published: August 2024

The Agenda 2000 and the Mid-Term Review introduced a complex combination of policy changes for beef and dairy. It is not clear to what extent the package will influence production decisions. This study proposes a simple method for incorporating the effect of direct payments into the analysis of cow herd response. Effective support prices are derived by adjusting the Agenda 2000 reductions in dairy and beef support prices to reflect the compensation given to farmers in terms of direct payments and premiums. Following the Mid-Term Review different assumptions are made with respect to the extent to which these payments are, or are perceived as being coupled to production. The effective prices obtained for Germany are used in a simulation model to assess the impact of the latest agricultural policy reforms on German milk and beef producers.
Ermittlung der Nachfrage nach ökologischen Gütern der Landwirtschaft - Das Northeim-Projekt - The demand for ecological goods in decentralised agri-environmental payment schemes
Authors: Fischer Anke , Hespelt Sonja K. , Marggraf Rainer
Published: August 2024

This paper presents a case study on the development and implementation of a decentralised and outcome-based agri-environmental payment scheme in a project region in central Germany. A research group from Goettingen University together with local actors designed the scheme which complies with the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy. The core of the programme is the creation of a market for ecological goods, in this case: of plant diversity standards in agriculture. Supply is provided by the local farmers, who, in an open competitive bidding, offer to produce as much as they are willing to of the commodity in question. The local population has to be seen as the beneficiary of these environmental goods. In the project, it is represented by a Regional Advisory Board which expresses the demand for plant diversity (i) by defining the goods and (ii) by allocating the funds to the respective goods. Hence, these plant diversity goods are treated as merit goods. To justify this approach, results from a contingent valuation study that focused on the respondents’ decision behaviour are applied. These results show that the utility expected from the provision of these goods is substantial and that ecological goods are considered as personally relevant. Based on these findings, the paper discus-ses the provision of ecological goods as merit - as opposed to private - goods.
Aspekte der Agrarpolitik 2003
Authors: Schumacher Klaus-Dieter
Published: August 2024

Dieser Artikel ist nur in deutscher Sprache verfügbar.
The article is only available in German language.
Die Marktordnungen für Obst und Gemüse
Authors: Behr Hans-Christoph
Published: August 2024

Dieser Artikel ist nur in deutscher Sprache verfügbar.
The article is only available in German language.
Konventioneller und ökologischer Landbau als Wettbewerbsstrategien für Unternehmen mit Marktfruchtbau
Authors: Köber Sebastian , Petersen Volker
Published: August 2024

Dieser Artikel ist nur in deutscher Sprache verfügbar.
The article is only available in German language.
Agentenbasierte Modellierung von Landnutzungsdynamiken und Politikoptionen
Authors: Berger Thomas
Published: August 2024

Agent-based modeling offers the technical opportunity to spatially integrate biophysical and socio-economic model components, thereby capturing the interactions between agricultural and environmental policy measures, land use decisions and ecological processes. Development paths in the use of resources can be calculated with the help of computer stimulations which determine the range of possible farm adjustments and policy interventions. Through coupling with global modeling systems, scenario analyses can be run to investigate the impacts of global change on land and water resources at regional and local level. This article gives an overview of agent-based modeling applied to the study of land use dynamics and policy options. It outlines an agricultural research project on agent-based, integrated modeling and concludes with a list of open questions.
Neue Entwicklungen in der Debatte um gentechnisch veränderte Pflanzen
Authors: Holm-Müller Karin
Published: August 2024

Dieser Artikel ist nur in deutscher Sprache verfügbar.
The article is only available in German language.
A model-based approach to moral hazard in food chains - What contribution do principal-agent-models make to the understanding of food risks induced by opportunistic behaviour?
Authors: Hirschauer Norbert
Published: August 2024

Food risks may be caused by moral hazard, i.e. by opportunistic behaviour of upstream sellers who exploit the fact that many food product qualities remain uncertain to downstream buyers in the course of conventional market transactions (credence qualities). Due to this lack of market transparency buyers run the risk to pay premium prices for inferior products (quality risks); furthermore, they run the risk to use or consume substances which are harmful (health risks). Therefore, they will want to design optimal contracts and controls preventing opportunistic behaviour. Usually, however, buyers cannot contract contingent on the actions of upstream sellers because they cannot observe them directly (information asymmetry). Motivated by the obviously game-theoretic nature of the problem, we investigate the potential of principal-agent-models for the analysis of food risks induced by opportunistic behaviour. We identify a binary stochastic moral hazard model which is able to represent the microeconomic situation of buyers (principals) and sellers (agents) adequately. On the one hand, the model considers the remuneration costs which are needed to induce compliance. On the other hand, it accounts for direct costs and benefits of control as well as a limited traceability caused by the multiple agents setting of most food risk problems. If we know the costs of compliance, the stochastic relationship between the agent’s action and the product quality, and the traceability coefficient, we are able to determine the optimal control intensity and price for any cost of control function and predefined upper limit of the imposable sanction. For practical applications the main problem will be how to procure empirical data. The manageable data requirements of the binary model qualify it as a ready to use model for future applications: first, it can be used in positive analyses of food chains in order to detect the hot spots where food risks induced by opportunistic behaviour are to be expected for economic reasons. Secondly, it can be used in normative analyses in order to identify contractual designs which induce compliance at minimum costs. Thirdly, it can be used in order to compare the efficiency of different system structures taking into account the costs of change.
Fragmenting markets and quality change in New Zealand foods: empirical analysis with a Rotterdam model
Authors: Khaled Mohammed , McWha Vhari , Lattimore Ralph
Published: August 2024

Very little is known about changes in the demand characteristics of food in New Zealand. As far as we can determine, there has never been a complete disaggregated food demand model estimated for New Zealand. The object of this paper is to update these estimates using more recent data to see whether there are grounds for believing that the structural changes that occurred primarily during the last two decades are having effects on the magnitude of food demand elasticities in New Zealand. To this end, a Rotterdam food demand system is estimated using time series data. The results indicate that over the last 20 years, household consumption has increased for fruit and vegetables, poultry, food eaten away from home, and sweet products, drinks and other foods. Fish, poultry, meat, farm products, cereals and meals away from home are all more price elastic than earlier estimates.
Der Markt für Wein
Authors: Hoffmann Dieter
Published: August 2024

Dieser Artikel ist nur in deutscher Sprache verfügbar.
The article is only available in German language.
Reform der EU-Milchmarktpolitik bei instabilen Weltmärkten
Authors: Grams Michael
Published: August 2024

The article examines the market and welfare effects of the current CAP reform and further policy options on the EU dairy market. The main focus is the influence of unstable world markets and the uncertainty it generates in policy analysis which has been widely neglected. The simulations of a stochastic dairy market model reveal that the considered policy options affect the impact of world market instabilities on the EU dairy market. Thus, not only a changing level of producer price or revenues can be expected, but also a changing degree of instability. Policy making without taking such instability changes into account may lead to undesired effects and, finally, could undermine the realisation of policy objectives. Also, the evaluation of the welfare effects of the policy options is more sophisticated than in a deterministic examination. With respect to the assessment of the CAP reform the simulations show that its impact on the EU dairy market instability as well as on the uncertainty of the welfare effects depends crucially on whether the quota is binding or not.
Übermäßige Werbung und Marktsegmentierung durch staatliche Förderung der Regionalvermarktung: Eine theoretische Analyse
Authors: Herrmann Roland , Anders Sven , Thompson Stanley
Published: August 2024

The protection of the regional origin of foods is a major part of the food-quality policy in the EU. It is the objective of this article to analyze economic effects of such policy instruments. Two different types of policy are distinguished which are both designed to promote regional products. First, generic promotion of a homogeneous commodity at the national and/or regional level in the spirit of NERLOVE and WAUGH is investigated. This instrument aims at shifting the demand for the advertised commodity outward. We derive theoretically that excessive advertising does exist if several promotion activities at different regional levels exist at one time. It would be more cost-effective due to product substitutability to move from separate strategies at the level of states to a coordinated uniform generic promotion. Secondly, there is support in the EU for regional-origin labels which combine quality assurance with the regional label. Product heterogeneity arises here when regional products reach above-average quality and prices increase. A segmented market model is utilized to show that the price bonus is affected by the magnitude of promotion expenditures, by own - and cross-price advertising elasticities on the markets and by marginal costs of program participation.
Interregionale Disparitäten und Entwicklung ländlicher Räume als regionalpolitische Herausforderung für die neuen EU-Mitgliedstaaten
Authors: Baum Sabine , Weingarten Peter
Published: August 2024

Since the beginning of transition, interregional disparities in Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs) have increased. Particularly, the differences between urban and rural areas have grown. This paper traces the development of these disparities and discusses, based on theoretical considerations and political objectives, the need for and the design of regional policy measures. For rural development in the new EU member states, institution building, competitiveness of the agri-food sector, non-farm income sources and labour mobility are crucial. These measures should be adapted to the specific characteristics of the respective areas. Since the end of the 1990's, the efforts of regional policy in the CEECs were highly influenced by the preparation for EU-accession. The SAPARD programme has strengthened institutional mechanisms and capacity building. Nevertheless, there remain important challenges in this field.
Forschung und Lehre in landwirtschaftlicher Betriebslehre - Rückblick und Ausblick -
Authors: Köhne Manfred
Published: August 2024

Dieser Artikel ist nur in deutscher Sprache verfügbar.
The article is only available in German language.
Wohlstand, Wachstum und Verteilung: Die Entwicklungsländer in der Globalisierung der Weltagrarwirtschaft
Authors: Von Witzke Harald
Published: August 2024

Dieser Artikel ist nur in deutscher Sprache verfügbar.
The article is only available in German language.
Erfolgsfaktoren in landwirtschaftlichen Unternehmen
Authors: Dautzenberg Kirsti , Petersen Volker
Published: August 2024

Which factors impact on the success of agricultural enterprises? The objective of this paper is to identify some of the key factors in this regard. Linear structural equation models with latent variables are used to examine strategic management phenomena. The analysis is based on the results of annual financial statements of agricultural enterprises from southern Saxony-Anhalt for 1995/96 to 1999/00. The enterprises' success is measured by the gross margin in crop production. The identified success factors are from different functional areas of the corporate management. Four dimensions of corporate management have been analysed: market, production, technology, and production factor structure. The results indicate two main conclusions. Firstly, the background variables had a significant influence on indicator variables assigned to them. Secondly, they had significant affects on the enterprise success. Success factors with significant impacts turned out to be market orientation and technology.
Back to principles: Dezentralisierung und Neuausrichtung der ländlichen Regionalpolitik
Authors: Bauer Siegfried
Published: August 2024

Dieser Artikel ist nur in deutscher Sprache verfügbar.
The article is only available in German language.
The Bioterrorism Act of the USA and international food trade: evaluating WTO conformity and effects on bilateral imports
Authors: Wieck Christine , Rudloff Bettina
Published: August 2024

The September 11th event focused the world’s attention on the threat of bioterrorism on the food chain. As a consequence, the USA. implemented the Bioterrorism Act (BTA) containing new import requirements that can be classified as non-tariff barriers (NTBs). This paper analyses these NTBs by performing an assessment of WTO conformity and trade impact: hereby general problems in the analysis of bioterrorist risks are explored as for this new and unknown threat explicit WTO rules are still missing. Additionally, in exploring the BTA relevant process standard rules laid out by the WTO, the analysis indicates the extensive flexibility provided in this framework. This leads to larger scope for national polices on process standards compared to product standards (e.g. residua levels). The empirical trade flow analysis illustrates differences in the compliance costs between countries. This differentiation can be caused by learning costs that may differ among countries. The analysis highlights that perishable products and countries with small import quantities are mostly affected.
Integrating ecological and economic aspects in land use concepts for agricultural landscapes
Authors: Ahrens Heinz , Kantelhardt Jochen
Published: August 2024

Especially in environmentally sensitive agricultural landscapes, agriculture cannot define its aims by itself - it has to account for a number of demands of different groups of society. For example, agriculture is expected to produce food and at the same time contribute to the protection of cultural landscapes and to further ecological services. Land use concepts for ecologically particularly sensitive agricultural landscapes are often focussed on the attainment of specific environmental objectives in specific areas, neglecting both socio-economic effects, in particular income effects, and the farmers' income-driven production responses outside these areas. The paper illustrates, on the basis of an empirical study, (1) that the farmers' objectives and production responses need to be integrated in land use concepts for agricultural landscapes because of their potentially counterproductive effects on the attainment of environmental objectives, and (2) how multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) can be used to transform a primarily ecology-oriented concept for an ecologically very sensitive agricultural landscape into a more comprehensive one that makes due allowance for the farmers’ responses and society's socio-economic objectives. The authors show that the integration of socio-economic objectives can contribute to the maintenance of incomes and employment without overly harming the attainment of ecological goals. Finally, the paper discusses policy implications resulting from the implementation of land use concepts for agricultural landscapes, in particular in the field of agri-environmental policy, and raises some practical issues that come up if policy makers apply MCDA more widely in the design of such concepts.
Empirische Untersuchungen zum optimalen Spezialisierungsgrad ökologisch wirtschaftender Marktfruchtbetriebe
Authors: Francksen Tammo , Gubi Günther , Latacz-Lohmann Uwe
Published: August 2024

This paper employs the concept of technology efficiency to analyse the optimal degree of specialisation of organic arable farms. Based on bookkeeping data from 461 organic farms, three technology specific frontiers (each representing a different degree of specialisation) and an all-encompassing metafrontier are estimated using a combination of Data Envelopment Analysis and Window Analysis. The results indicate that a significant proportion of sample farms have not chosen their optimal degree of specialisation. We quantify the potential productivity gain from switching to the optimal specialisation class. This is highest for moderately specialised farms switching to higher degrees of specialisation. We demonstrate that there are significant differences in the structure of inputs and outputs between farms that have chosen the optimal degree of specialisation and those that have not. We further identify the factors determining whether a farm should switch to a more specialised or a more diversified organisation of enterprises.
Abschätzung der Wertschöpfungspotenziale im ländlichen Raum durch Biokraftstoffe am Beispiel Nordrhein-Westfalens
Authors: Breuer Thomas , Holm-Müller Karin
Published: August 2024

To enhance the use of biofuels is stated priority of EU and German energy policy. Reasons given for this priority inter alia include positive income effects for the rural areas. This paper uses the example of North Rhine-Westphalia to investigate rural areas’ possibilities to profit from the added value of bio fuel production. It is shown that the main channel of income generation is based on stabilized demand for agricultural products. Taking into account recent policy shifts in Germany there remain few chances to participate in the added value of downstream production steps. In addition, due to considerable support for biogas plants maize production considerably reduces areas consecrated to bio fuel production.
Im Dschungel der Importzölle – Die Bedeutung der verwendeten Methodik bei der Aggregation von Importzöllen –
Authors: Pelikan Janine , Brockmeier Martina
Published: August 2024

The results of liberalization studies can be influenced decisively by the methodology of import tariff aggregation. This article deals with different measures used to aggregate import tariffs. Therefore, the advantages and disadvantages of different aggregation measures are discussed theoretically. In the empirical part of the paper, the simple average and the trade-weighted average of bound and applied tariffs are calculated for different agricultural products of the EU. The analysis considers ad valorem and specific tariffs as well as tariff rate quotas. Additionally, for the applied tariffs, a distinction is made between MFN-tariffs and bilateral preferential tariff rates. Using the same data base, the product specific Trade Restrictiveness Index (TRI) and the Mercantilist Trade Restrictiveness Index (MTRI) are calculated. Because of the poor data availability at the detailed tariff-line level, a simple partial equilibrium application of these indices is implemented, which can be extended to the whole import tariff data base of an economic trade model. The results show a strong correlation between all aggregation methods, but the size of the import tariffs differs highly, depending on the aggregation measure used. Furthermore, high differences between bound and applied tariffs for some EU agricultural products are calculated.
Nutrition and health claims – call for and justification of governmental intervention from the consumers’ perspective
Authors: Hartmann Monika , Lensch Anne Katrin , Simons Johannes , Thrams Sylvia
Published: August 2024

In December 2006 the Regulation (EC) No. 1924/2006 on the use of nutrition and health claims (NHCs) on foods was enacted in order to prevent consumer deception and to harmonise law within the EU. Against this background, this paper analyses the potential costs and benefits linked with NHCs and the necessity for governmental intervention to regulate NHCs within a theoretical and empirical framework. The theoretical investigation shows that NHCs can induce direct economic effects as well as spillover effects in the market of information. Whether those effects are beneficial or adverse depends on the truthfulness of the NHCs, and consumers’ perception and processing of such claims. As self regulatory forces of the market might not be sufficient to prevent market failure due to fraudulent claims, governmental intervention seems necessary. An analysis of the EU Regulation on NHCs reveals that this law focuses on preventing the authorisation of false or misleading claims. It is less concerned with not authorising a true and correctly understood claim. The results of the empirical analysis which is based on a standardised consumer survey reveal that the stated impact of NHCs on product perception considerably differs among consumers. While e.g. some consumers feel misled by NHCs on products with a negative nutrient profile such as candies, others point out that such claims have no impact on their product perception or even help them to make better choices. The results also indicate that the great majority of consumers is opposed to a ban of NHCs on products with a negative nutrient profile such as candies and salt.
How to deal with the challenges of linking a large number of individual national models: the case of the AGMEMOD Partnership
Authors: Salamon Petra , Chantreuil Frédéric , Donnellan Trevor , Erjavec Emil , Esposti Roberto , Hanrahan Kevin , Van Leeuwen Myrna , Bouma Foppe , Dol Wietse , Salputra Guna
Published: August 2024

The AGMEMOD Partnership seeks to capture the inherent existing heterogeneity of agricultural systems by linking together individual EU Member State models, an aggregated EU model and several accession countries into one single model, while still maintaining analytical consistency. Although this approach facilitates the comparison of the impact of a policy change across different Member States, it generates challenges in practical implementation, ranging from significant communication and administration requirements, to aggregation and consistency issues. This contribution provides insights into the different challenges posed to the scientists and discusses the key issues for maintenance and further development of such a complex system. Specific attention is paid to technical devices and tools as well as to the design of institutional settings to achieve consistency.
Aspekte der Agrarpolitik 2008
Authors: Wieck Christine , Fortenbacher Dominik , Heckelei Thomas
Published: August 2024

Dieser Artikel ist nur in deutscher Sprache verfügbar.
The article is only available in German language.
Call for Papers
Authors: GJAE
Published: August 2024

No summary available.
Zur Akzeptanz von gentechnisch verändertem Saatgut in der deutschen Landwirtschaft
Authors: Voss Julian , Spiller Ulrich , Enneking Ulrich
Published: August 2024

The use of genetically modified seeds is a controversially discussed topic. Regardless of the increased global significance - in 2006 genetically modified (GM) seeds were used on 102 billion hectares - GM seeds have almost no importance in German agriculture. However, the market introduction of Bt-corn is in its first stage. This article analyses attitudes and intentions of German farmers. The results are based on a survey of 370 German farmers which own larger structured farms in the northwest of Germany. The sample shows no clear rejection of GM seeds. A structural equation model reveals important parameters influencing the attitude and intention concerning green genetic engineering. The attitude may be explained by the acceptance within the social environment (family, village community) and by the assessment of the economic advantages. The planned behaviour is mainly influenced by the general attitude towards genetic engineering, the economic environment and by the social environment.