Improving standards and certification in agri-food supply chains Ensuring safety, sustainability and social responsibility

Description

There is increasing scrutiny of the safety, environmental and social impact of food production. However, the complexity of modern agri-food supply chains has significantly complicated the process of setting and enforcing appropriate standards. The thematic scope of standards has also expanded from its original focus on safety and quality to cover social responsibility and ethical trading, animal welfare, environmental sustainability, biodiversity loss and nature-related risks.

Finally, the range of stakeholders involved in setting and monitoring standards governing agri-food supply chains has proliferated, from official national, regional and international bodies to non-government organisations (NGOs), the food industry itself and now the investment sector concerned to ensure their clients meet environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards.

Improving standards and certification in agri-food supply chains: Ensuring safety, sustainability and social responsibility comprehensively addresses the challenges raised by this complex picture and features contributions from leading international experts from the Codex Alimentarius Commission and the Rainforest Alliance. The book discusses how to reconcile the roles of different stakeholders in standard setting, how changes in governance and technology can improve accountability, as well as the different ways of enhancing good agricultural practices (GAP) to meet new ways of producing food.

The book also discusses the challenges and solutions in achieving effective standards promoting more socially responsible production and how best to address emerging practices to improve environmental sustainability such as regenerative agriculture.

Table of contents

Part 1 Setting standards

• 1.The international context: the role of Codex Alimentarius in setting safety and quality standards for global agri-food supply chains: Amanda Hielm, Codex Alimentarius Commission, Italy
• 2.The role of governments in driving sustainability standards : Louise Manning, Lincoln Institute for Agri-food Technology, University of Lincoln, UK
• 3.The role and range of voluntary standards and certification systems governing sustainable agricultural practices: Gregory Sampson, International Trade Centre (ITC), Switzerland
• 4.The role of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in improving safety, quality and sustainability standards in agri-food supply chains: Pilar Pampin, LEAF, UK

Part 2 The expanding scope of agri-food chain standards

• 5.Voluntary ethical trading and social responsibility standards and certification for agriculture: an overview : Anne Tallontire, University of Leeds, UK
• 6.Carbon farming, regenerative agriculture and environmental sustainability: practices and standards: Louise Manning, Lincoln Institute for Agri-food Technology, University of Lincoln, UK
• 7.Biodiversity and Nature credit markets: opportunities and challenges for landowners and land managers: Jo Treweek, Treweek Environmental Consultants, UK
• 8.The role of standards in improving the sustainability of livestock production: Evelien de Olde, Wageningen University, The Netherlands
• 9.Developing good agricultural practice (GAP) standards across global agri-food supply chains: Louise Manning, Lincoln Institute for Agri-food Technology, University of Lincoln, UK
• 10.Defining sustainable agricultural principles and practices: the Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN): Mona McCord, Technical and Development Director - Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN), USA
• 11.Fulfilling the promise of sustainability certification: reflections from the Rainforest Alliance: Deanna Newsom, Evaluation and Research Team - Rainforest Alliance, USA
• 12.The role of certification and verification schemes in sustainable forest management (SFM): Anna Thorning, Mid Sweden University, Sweden

Part 3 Measuring compliance and improving performance

• 13.The developing role of technology in ensuring safety, quality and sustainability in agri-food supply chains: guaranteeing greater traceability and transparency: Louise Manning, Lincoln Institute for Agri-food Technology, University of Lincoln, UK
• 14.Measuring and improving good agricultural practices (GAP) related to safety of fresh produce: the case of controlled environment agriculture: James Monaghan, Harper Adams University, UK
• 15.Measuring on-farm carbon footprints/greenhouse gas emissions: Matthias Kuhnert, University of Aberdeen, UK
• 16.Conclusions: Louise Manning, Lincoln Institute for Agri-food Technology, University of Lincoln, UK