Socio-economic aspects of animal health and food safety in organic farming systems

Summary

Sustaining Animal Health and Food Safety in Organic Farming (SAFO) is a European Commission funded Concerted Action Project with the objective to contribute to improved food safety and animal health in organic livestock production systems in existing and candidate member countries of the European Union. We aim at doing this through exchange and active communication of research results and conclusions between researchers, policy makers, farmers and the wider stakeholder community, including consumers. Workshops form a central part of these activities, documented by the proceedings. This volume with the contributions to first SAFO Workshop in Florence in September 2003 is the first in a series of five proceedings published during the lifetime of the project (2003-2006).
The Workshop in Florence on "Socio-Economic Aspects of Animal Health and Food Safety in Organic Farming Systems" focused on financial and economic aspects of organic livestock production at the farm level and in the whole organic food chain. The impact of attitudes of various stakeholders on the development of organic livestock production was also covered. The Workshop was attended by 70 delegates from 22 countries, representing a wide variety of expertise and aspects of organic farming from certification activities, marketing economics and social science to animal health and welfare.
It was apparent, from the papers, posters and working group conclusions, that organic livestock producers work within a society and are governed by if not the same – at least very similar - economic constraints as conventional farmers. In addition, they have voluntarily taken onboard the organic rules and values. It is also clear that the interface of the organic values, and those of society and food production at large, can impose complex constraints on production at farm level. For instance, while animal health appears to be an important concept to the consumers in deciding what to buy, there appears to be a discrepancy between the welfare expectations of consumers and the production realities. One of the key issues raised by the workshop was the need to educate the consumer and to focus on the process rather than the product.
Contents
Part A: A framework for organic livestock production: socio-economics, health and
welfare economics and marketing chain
Potential contribution of economics to animal health and food safety on organic farms
A.W.Stott
Farm level economics of organic milk and beef production in several European countries
C. Deblitz, E. Deeken, M.D. Izquierdo-Lopez
Market situation for organic livestock products in Europe
U. Hamm, F. Gronefeld
Political economy of organic foods
P. R. Kledal
Is it easy for producers to market organic beef? The case of Biobourgogne Viande in France
P. Sans, G. de Fontguyon, B. Sylvander, A. Le Floc’h, M. Auersalmi, O. Schmid
Current practice and prospects of organic livestock production in Greece
G. Arsenos, P. Fortomaris, G. Banos, D. Zygoyiannis
Working Group reports:
Implications of economic constraints and consumer and producer attitudes to standard development, in relation to animal health, welfare and food safety Sheep and beef production farm level constraints and recommendations for enhancing health welfare and food safety.
Dairy farms vel constraints and recommendations for enhancing health welfare and food safety.
Poultry production vel constraints and recommendations for enhancing health welfare and food safety.
Part B: Italy: a case study in the development of organic livestock production
The activities of Regional Agency for Development and Innovation in the Agro-forestry sector (ARSIA) for the development of organic agriculture and livestock productions in Tuscany
M. Bonanzinga, P. Bottazzi, C. Mearini
Impact of economic investments on animal welfare: a case study
C. Contini, A. Martini, V. Ferrante, L. Omodei Zorini, P. Migliorini, G. Lorenzini, S. Rosi
Bellière
Sustainable production methods and economic development of the marginal rural zones of the Italian Central Apennines
F. Ansaloni, V. Cammertoni
Why are consumers buying organic meat and milk? A qualitative study on the Italian market
D. Gambelli, S. Naspetti, D. Vairo
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Analysis of organic dairy farm revenue for the period 1999 – 2002 in the province of
Bologna, Italy
S. Danio, P. Vanelli
Production costs and profitability of organic Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and organic industrial milk in northern Italy
A. Menghi, K. de Roest
Poster presentation: Socio-economic effects of organic crops and animal rearing diffusion in Tuscany, Central Italy
A. Pardini, F. Longhi
Part C: A framework for organic livestock production: standards, attitudes and
expectations
Why do humans keep animals? Does the answer help to define the standards for organic animal husbandry?
G. Rahmann
Guidance and advice on animal health and welfare in organic production systems – do attitudes matter?
M. Hovi
Consumer perceptions and production realities
C. E. Milne
Organic standards: by whom and for whom?
W. Lockeretz, V. Lund
Impact of socio-demographic factors on consumption patterns and buying motives with respect to organic dairy products in Switzerland
J. Sanders, T. Richter
Working Group reports:
Attitudes of consumers to animal product quality and safety: identification of problems and development of recommendations
Attitudes of veterinary and advisory staff to organic livestock production: identification of problems and recommendations
Part D: Poster presentations
Current socio-economic trends of organic plant and animal produce in Western Australia
C. Faiello, A. Pardini, L. C. Litjens
Organic farming in the Slovak Republic
O. Ondrašovičová, M. Vargová, O. Ondrašovič, J. Kottferová, J. Juršík
Organic farming in Latvia
E. Selegovska, L. Degola
Organic agriculture in Poland – legal and market aspects
J. Zastawny, H. Jankowska-Huflejt, B. Wróbel
The economy of organic livestock production enterprises in Andalusia, Spain – two case studies
R. García Trujillo, J. Fernández, T. Haba, P. Blázquez
Organic livestock production and marketing of organic animal products in Austria
S. Wlcek, M. Eder, W. Zollitsch
Rearing healthy meat sheep at a reasonable cost the redon orcival project in France
M. Benoit, G. Laignel, J. Cabarnet
Part E: Report from the Working Group on Standard Development
Report from the Working Group on Standard Development
M. Walkenhurst, A. Sundrum