Ökoverbände in der Identitätskrise? Eine clubtheoretische Analyse

Summary

Compliance with the rules of organic production has been motivated intrinsically. Cooperative behaviour, thus, has been a key issue in assuring organic quality. However, the environment is continuously changing. An increasing number of farmers is producing organic food not only driven by altruism, but by economic factors and public support (i.e., subsidies). The following contribution aims to reveal determinants for an efficient quality assurance within an organic farming association. It focuses on changes related to the introduction of a public certification system and the “loss” of social cohesion among the organic farmers. Based on the theory of club goods, an application of the decision theory approach underlines the analysis.