?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.title=Focus+groups+of+value+concepts+of+producers%3A+National+Report+Italy&rft.creator=Roviglioni%2C+Raffaella&rft.subject=+Regulation&rft.subject=+Systems+research+and+participatory+research&rft.subject=Italy&rft.description=The+Organic+Revision+project+was+funded+by+the+EU+with+the+aim+of+supporting+the+further+development+of+the+EU+Regulation+2092%2F91+on+organic+production.+As+part+of+the+project+focus+groups+were+run+in+five+European+countries+on+value+concepts+of+organic+producers+and+other+stakeholders%2C+during+2004-2005.+The+project+aims+to+provide+an+overview+of+values+held+among+organic+stakeholders%2C+and+of+similarities+and+differences+among+the+various+national+and+private+organic+standards.%0D%0AIn+Italy+four+focus+groups+were+held%2C+a+pre-test+with+AIAB+staff%2C+a+group+of+policy+makers%2C+a+group+of+established+organic+producers+and+a+group+of+newly+converted+producers.%0D%0AThe+following+conclusions+were+reached%3A+The+general+impression+is+that+there+are+three+main+values+or+areas+which+were+considered+important+by+all+participants%3A%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+food+quality+and+health+(safety)%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+environment+health+and+care%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+livelihood.%0D%0AWithin+the+first+issue%2C+many+detailed+implications+are+included%2C+starting+from+own+health%2C+consumers%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%99+health%2C+and+so+on%2C+arriving+to+food+safety%2C+avoiding+residues+and+link+to+regional+or+local+territory.+In+this+area%2C+there+were+no+significant+differences+between+groups%2C+perhaps+only+some+personal+point+of+view+which+could+differ+from+one+person+to+another%3B+but+generally+speaking%2C+this+point+was+considered+fundamental+by+all+participants.%0D%0AIt+is+important+to+mention+that+many+discussions+and+ideas+were+raised+by+the+term+%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%9Cquality%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%9D+which+seems+very+meaningful+depending+also+on+who+is+related+to.+Interesting+was+the+idea+about+the+possibility+of+finding+measurable+parameters+of+food+quality+in+order+to+make+it+more+comprehensible+for+consumers.%0D%0AMore+or+less+the+same+kind+of+considerations+could+be+attributed+to+the+value+of+environment+health%2Fcare+(which+sometimes+overlaps).+In+this+case%2C+we+could+say+that+virtually+there+was+no+real+difference+amongst+participants%2C+also+in+terms+of+personal+values+or+points+of+view.+The+concept+that+organic+farming+is+fundamental+for+preserving+the+environment+and+land+it%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%99s+clear+for+all%2C+and+all+of+them+agreed+that+this+value+should+be+strongly+communicated+to+consumers.%0D%0ARegarding+the+third+value%2C+%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%98livelihood%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%99%2C+it+is+possible+to+affirm+that+it+is+a+fundamental+aspect+either+in+farmers+and+policy+makers.+But+to+say+if+this+has+to+be+considered+as+a+value%2C+rather+than+a+mere+practical+problem%2C+it+is+difficult+to+assess.+In+our+opinion%2C+farmers+did+not+expressed+their+financial+concern+as+directly+linked+to+organic+farming%3B+they+were+more+likely+complaining+about+an+actual+situation%2C+that+could+also+change+in+the+future.+They+were+not+expecting+livelihood+to+be+included+in+the+organic+farming+values.%0D%0AAdditional+thinking+over+could+be+done+on+other+minor+areas%2C+for+their+differences+and+peculiarities+amongst+participants.+The+issues+of+soil+and+animal+welfare+were+discussed+only+by+very+few+participants.+The+first+one%2C+was+mentioned+only+by+two+cattle+farmers+in+the+experienced+farmers+group%2C+having+opposite+ideas.+The+second+one+was+cited+only+by+two+persons+in+two+different+groups.+It+seems+that+these+matters+are+of+secondary+importance+for+Italian+farmers+and+stakeholders.+Or+maybe%2C+they+are+somehow+included+in+other+bigger+areas.%0D%0AAlso%2C+the+area+of+professional+pride+was+considered+quite+important+by+many+participants%2C+especially+by+the+experienced+group%2C+which+mentioned+it+from+the+beginning%2C+including+it+in+the+associations+and+in+the+motives+for+their+conversion+to+the+organic+sector.+Another+aspect+that+was+shared+by+all+of+them+was+the+disappointment+in+finding+out+that+consumers+do+not+recognize+their+role+and+their+value%2C+so+their+efforts+for+doing+%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%9Cthe+right+thing%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%9D+seem+worthless+sometimes.%0D%0AValues+under+the+ecological+integrity+area+were+yet+discussed%2C+but+for+sure+were+not+considered+relevant+as+others.+Somebody+focused+on+biodiversity%2C+someone+on+energy+consumption%2C+but+it+was+more+a+personal+conviction+moving+these+ideas+than+a+typical+characteristic.+This+is+also+demonstrated+by+the+fact+that+there+was+not+a+clear+connection+between+value+importance+and+group+category.%0D%0ALast%2C+but+not+least%2C+the+moral+implications+in+organic+farming+were+indicated+by+two+women+from+two+different+producers+groups%2C+indicating+perhaps+that+women+could+be+more+interested+in+ethical+values+also+in+their+professional+life.&rft.date=2005&rft.type=Report&rft.type=NonPeerReviewed&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Forgprints.org%2F10991%2F1%2FWP23_IT_Report1.pdf&rft.identifier=Roviglioni%2C+Raffaella+(2005)+Focus+groups+of+value+concepts+of+producers%3A+National+Report+Italy.+EEC+2092%2F91+(Organic+Revision+Internal+Project+Report)%2C+Related+to+D+2.1.&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Forgprints.org%2F10991%2F