Food Safety Standards and Certification: Implications For Producers and Certifiers

The objectives of the proposed study includes:Objective 1: Identify key factors that affect producers' choice of third party certification bodies for a food safety standard. Based on our preliminary analysis of data we obtained from British Retail Consortium (BRC) Food Standard certification, we hypothesize that producers are attracted to leniently grading certification bodies, and prefer ones that are geographically close to their production facilities.Objective 2: Identify key factors that affect producers' choice of a food safety standard. We hypothesize the availability of certification bodies nearby will positively affect a producer's choice of the standard.Objective 3: Investigate what factors determine the auditing grades assigned to producers. We hypothesize that smaller producers and first-timer certified producers will have a lower auditing grade, holding other factors equal. Higher degree of competition at the certification body level likely will lead to
pressure to raise grades. Objective 4: Quantify the benefits that food safety certification offers producers. We hypothesize that certification promotes firms' production growth.