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<p>1) Determine key factors that influence patterns of control and business relationships within values-based supply chains;</p>
<p>2) Identify community-related goals and needs of values-based supply chains including labor; and</p>
<p>3) Determine how existing policies influence the performance of values-based supply chains. Outputs includes peer-reviewed publications; presentations at professional and/or academic conferences/meetings, a better understanding of the community-related implications of values-based supply chains; and graduating M.S. level students.</p>
<p>NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY:<br/> Mid-sized farms have been declining for decades. These farms are too small to compete globally, yet too large for local markets. One potential opportunity is the development of coordinated values based supply chains. Midscale values-based supply chains are thought to be able to 1) handle significant volumes of high-quality, differentiated food products; 2) operate effectively at multistate, regional levels; and 3) distribute risk and profits transparently and equitably among the strategic partners. The goal of this portion of the project is to understand barriers to the development of the values based supply chain, especially, but not limited to, food safety standards and regulations.
<p>APPROACH:
<br/>Methods include 1) evaluative case studies of existing values-based supply chains using targeted interviews with supply chain stakeholders and review of organizational documents; 2) analyze current standards and certification protocols for agrifood products, particularly those related to food safety; and 3) analysis of national and state legislation, policies, and regulations, especially those related to food safety.</p>
<p>PROGRESS:
<br/>2012/10 TO 2013/09
<br/>Target Audience: This work is related to members of small and medium-sized supply chains (e.g., growers/fishers, processors, consumers). The audience for some of this work has also been racial minorities and economically disadvantaged persons, as well as other agrifood system stakeholders (e.g., Food Policy Councils). <br/>Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Three M.S. students who worked on variouys aspects of values-based supply chains have already graduated. A fourth student is currently writing her thesis and a fifth has already started her data collection. In addition, a post-doc was recently been hired to develop two key aspects of this work, one of which is a consumer study of locally purchased beef products that looks at how their behavior may
change when there are large-scale food scares (e.g., are they more or less likley to seek out local beef when there is a high profile E. coli outbreak?). How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? As a member of the Alabama Food Policy Council, I am in regular contact with key actors who are engage in values-based supply chains. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported.</p>