Farmers' Cooperatives and Sustainable Food Systems in Europe

Farmers' Cooperatives and Sustainable Food Systems in Europe
Author: Raquel Ajates Gonzalez
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 427
Release: 2018-06-13
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 1351216287

Farmers' cooperatives are very prevalent in the European Union, where they account for approximately half of agricultural trade and thus are key to articulating rural realities and in shaping the sustainability credentials of European food and farming. This book analyses to what extent farmers' cooperatives are working to benefit their members, are showing concern for their communities and are promoting cooperative economies. It offers a multilevel set of theoretical, disciplinary, methodological, empirical and social perspectives, using the UK and Spain as contrasting examples, and analyses whether agricultural cooperatives contribute to achieving sustainable food systems. The book presents empirical data from diverse and rich case studies, from large, international cooperatives, to small, multi-stakeholder initiatives. This provides an alternative viewpoint to that of economics, which tends to dominate the study of agricultural cooperatives. The author presents a new theoretical framework that provides a novel lens to study farmers’ cooperatives as organisations deeply embedded in power dynamics of the food system and agricultural policy that shape and constraint their potential to adopt cooperative and sustainable practices. The book is a major addition to the study of agricultural cooperatives and their impact in the development of fairer and more sustainable food systems and it is one of the first detailed accounts of multi-stakeholder food and farming cooperatives in Europe. It is a valuable resource for all scholars working on cooperatives, as well as for students studying agricultural and food policy, environmental justice and rural sociology.

The Oxford Handbook of Mutual, Co-operative, and Co-owned Business

The Oxford Handbook of Mutual, Co-operative, and Co-owned Business
Author: Jonathan Michie
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 705
Release: 2017
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0199684979

This Handbook investigates all types of 'member owned' organizations, whether consumer co-operatives, agricultural and producer co-operatives, or worker co-operatives among many others. The chapters reflect the latest academic research and thinking on each topic, as well as reporting the relevant policy debates.

The Cooperative Society

The Cooperative Society
Author: E. G. Nadeau
Publisher:
Total Pages: 48
Release: 2016-09-01
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 9780998066202

In this book, we present a hypothesis that humans may be on the threshold of a new historical stage, one characterized by cooperation, democracy, the equitable distribution of resources, and a sustainable relationship with nature. We can act strategically on a range of activities to become a more cooperative society.

The Agricultural Cooperative in the Framework of the European Cooperative Society

The Agricultural Cooperative in the Framework of the European Cooperative Society
Author: Georg Miribung
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 570
Release: 2020-04-09
Genre: Law
ISBN: 3030441547

This book assesses the Statute for a European Cooperative Society (SCE) regarding agricultural activities by comparing how specific questions arising in this context must be dealt with under the Italian and Austrian legal systems. In this regard, Council Regulation (EC) No. 1435/2003, of 22 July 2003, on the Statute for a European Cooperative Society (SCE), is used as a tool for the structured analysis of various aspects of agricultural cooperatives. However, a comparison is only meaningful if the results are made comparable on the basis of a previously defined standard. Accordingly, the study uses, on one hand, a cooperative model developed by European legal scholars that defines general guidelines on how cooperatives should function (PECOL). On the other, the results are presented in connection with economic considerations to discuss how efficient rules can be developed.

International agrifood chains and networks

International agrifood chains and networks
Author: Jos Bijman
Publisher: BRILL
Total Pages: 407
Release: 2023-08-28
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9086865739

"This book brings together a rich collection of material on management and organization in agri-food chains and networks. Producers, processors, traders and retailers of agricultural and food products operate in an economic and institutional environment that is increasingly dominated by global developments. Therefore, organizing efficient and effective supply chains as well as managing collaboration among participating firms requires an international perspective. This book presents theoretical and practical insights from many different parts of the world. Topics covered include classical supply chain management issues like logistics, information exchange (e.g. tracking and tracing), quality control, safety assurance, and chain performance. Other timely issues covered are joint innovation, and shared responsibility for sustainability in agri-food supply chains. Special attention is given to issues of governance and organization of chains and networks, for example, by focussing on the role of producer organisations (such as farmer cooperatives) in their effort to combine horizontal and vertical collaboration in the international upply chain. This book is relevant for both academics and managers interested in the latest advances in research on management and organization of international agri-food chains and networks."

A Global History of Co-operative Business

A Global History of Co-operative Business
Author: Greg Patmore
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 248
Release: 2018-04-17
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1317270207

Co-operatives provide a different approach to organizing business through their ideals of member ownership and democratic practice. Every co-operative member has an equal vote regardless of his or her own personal capital investment. The contemporary significance of co-operatives was highlighted by the United Nations declaration of 2012 as the International Year of Co-operatives. This book provides an international perspective on the development of co-operatives since the mid-nineteenth century, exploring the economic, political, and social factors that explain their varying fortunes and transformation into different forms. By looking at what co-operatives are; how they have changed; the developments as well as the persecutions of the co-operative movement; and how it is an important force in promoting development and self-sufficiency in non-industrialized areas, this book provides valuable insight not only to academics, but also to practitioners and policy makers.

The New Mutualism in Public Policy

The New Mutualism in Public Policy
Author: Johnston Birchall
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 268
Release: 2002-09-10
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1134549474

Mutuality has become a topic of debate recently for a whole range of academics and social commentators. The 'demutualisation' of banks and building societies has been partnered by the idea of a 'new mutualism' , forming a set of social values and beliefs, and this collection looks at the manifestations of these trends and the implications for the future.

A Dictionary of the European Union

A Dictionary of the European Union
Author: Lee McGowan
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 521
Release: 2015-04-10
Genre: Reference
ISBN: 1317445163

This unique collection of data includes concise definitions and explanations relating to all aspects of the European Union. It explains the terminology surrounding the EU and outlines the roles and significance of the institutions, member countries, foreign relations, programmes and policies, treaties and personalities. It contains over 1,000 clear and succinct definitions and explains acronyms and abbreviations, which are arranged alphabetically and fully cross-referenced. The book has been fully updated to include details of the elections to the European Parliament and the appointment of the new European Commission in 2014, together with other important revisions. Among the 1,000 entries you can find explanations and background details on:accession negotiations the African Union the ‘Arab Spring’ the Common Agricultural Policy competition policy the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund the euro human rights Jean-Claude Juncker the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) the Schengen Agreement Serbia the Single Supervisory Mechanism the single rulebook the Treaty of Lisbon Ukraine