?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.title=National+status-quo+reports+on+Collective+Farmers+Marketing+Initatives+in+Switzerland&rft.creator=Bahrdt%2C+Katja&rft.creator=Sanders%2C+J%C3%83%C2%BCrn&rft.creator=Schmid%2C+Otto&rft.subject=+Policy+environments+and+social+economy&rft.subject=+Farm+economics&rft.description=In+general%2C+data+and+scientific+information+on+farmers%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%99+cooperatives+are+very+rare+in+Switzerland.+There+is+no+official+statistic+that+collects+the+number+and+types+of+existing+cooperatives+in+Switzerland.+In+view+of+the+little+information+interviews+with+experts+and+an+internet+search+has+additionally+been+conducted.+%0D%0ACollective+actions+of+farmers+have+a+long+tradition+in+Switzerland.+The+earliest+forms+of+collective+actions+in+agricultural+can+be+traced+back+to+the+management+of+common+land+and+forest+areas+in+early+Germanic+times.+Like+in+most+other+European+countries%2C+the+cooperative+movement+emerged+in+the+second+half+of+the+19+th+century+in+Switzerland+and+experienced+a+rapid+diffusion.+Due+to+the+protectionistic+agricultural+policy+and+guaranteed+prices+and+incomes+after+the+Second+World+War%2C+only+few+farmers+put+much+effort+in+building+up+%2F+developing+further+selfhelp+structures.+The+recent+policy+changes+provide+a+new+basis+for+cooperative+actions.+However%2C+new+collective+initiatives+are+to+a+lesser+extent+a+selfhelp+measure%2C+but+rather+a+business+strategy+to+improve+the+competitiveness+of+individual+farms.+%0D%0ANowadays%2C+there+are+a+wide+range+of+different+collective+farmers%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%99+marketing+initiatives.+The+importance+of+these+initiatives+various+greatly+and+depends+highly+on+the+commodity.+They+play+for+example+a+very+dominant+role+in+the+milk%2C+cereal+and+oilseed+sector.+In+contrast+to+this%2C+collective+farmers%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%99+marketing+initiatives+are+less+dominant+in+the+meat%2C+vegetable+and+fruit+sector.+In+total%2C+five+different+forms+have+been+identified+as+the+main+ones+in+Switzerland.+These+are%3A+independent+producer+cooperatives%2C+united+cooperatives+%2F+federations+of+producer+cooperatives%2C+producer+pools%2C+producer+interest+groups%2C+regional+marketing+initiatives.+Each+form+was+described+by+a+case+example.+From+the+Swiss+perspective%2C+the+following+key+criteria+seem+to+be+appropriate+for+a+classification+of+collective+actions+of+farmers%3A+actors+involved+in+the+initiative+(are+nonfarmers+also+members%2Fshareholders%2Fpartners)%2C+degree+of+involvement%2Fcollectivity%2C+relationship+to+other+supply+chain+actors%2C+aims+and+activities+of+the+initiatives.+%0D%0ACollective+initiatives+are+particularly+a+suitable+approach+for+the+Swiss+mountain+area%2C+which+are+characterised+by+their+natural+and+cultural+heritage.+Since+consumers+are+willing+to+pay+higher+prices+for+authentic+quality+food%2C+such+products+produced+by+COFAMIs+may+successfully+compete+on+the+market+against+cheap+products+from+agroindustrial+companies.+However%2C+in+order+to+increase+the+production+of+high+quality+food+(organic+products%2C+PDG%2FPGI%2C+etc.)+in+Switzerland%2C+it+would+be+necessary+that+more+agricultural+products+are+exported.%0D%0ACurrently%2C+there+are+two+programmes+which+offer+funds+for+specific+collective+actions.+The+future+direct+payment+policy%2C+however%2C+could+have+a+strong+impact+on+the+attractiveness+of+collective+actions+of+farmers.+If+the+production+of+food+becomes+economically+less+important+than+the+provision+of+public+goods+and+services%2C+the+necessity+for+collective+action+will+rather+be+reduced.&rft.date=2006&rft.type=Report&rft.type=NonPeerReviewed&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Forgprints.org%2F13383%2F1%2Fbahrdt-etal-2006-d3.2_switzerland_final_091006.pdf&rft.identifier=Bahrdt%2C+Katja%3B+Sanders%2C+J%C3%83%C2%BCrn+and+Schmid%2C+Otto+(2006)+National+status-quo+reports+on+Collective+Farmers+Marketing+Initatives+in+Switzerland.+[Encouraging+Collective+Farmers+Marketing+Initatives+Project+Report+D+3.2.]&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Forgprints.org%2F13383%2F