Colin G. Brown

Food safety and development of the beef industry in China

Food safety concerns have escalated in China as they have elsewhere, especially in relation to meats. Beef production and consumption has increased proportionately faster than all other meats over the last two decades. Yet the slaughtering, processing and marketing of beef remains, for the most part, extremely primitive when compared with Western beef supply chains. By comparing the economics of household slaughtering with that of various types of abattoirs, this paper explains why household slaughtering and wet markets still dominate beef processing and distribution in China. The negative economic, social and industry development implications of enforcing more stringent food safety regulations are highlighted. The willingness/capacity of consumers to pay the added cost of better inspection and other services to guarantee food safety is investigated. In this context, the paper also evaluates the market opportunities for both domestic and imported Green Beef. The paper questions the merit of policy initiatives aimed at modernising Chinese beef supply chains for the mass market along Western lines

A critical review of degradation assumptions applied to Mongolia's Gobi Desert

Several assumptions about the levels and causes of rangeland degradation in Mongolia are widely accepted by a range of stakeholders. These assumptions have become important in terms of guiding strategies and policy directions. This paper provides a critical analysis of five widely-held assumptions about rangeland degradation in Mongolia to the more specific case of the rangelands of the Gobi Desert. These assumptions are: (i) there are too many animals; (ii) the relative increase in goat numbers has led to desertification; (iii) rainfall is declining; (iv) there is declining pasture biomass; and (v) Mongolian rangelands are degraded. Biophysical and social data from the Dundgobi and Omnogobi desert steppe areas suggest not all of these assumptions are supported all of the time, and that the processes upon which these assumptions are based are often more complex or dynamic than is commonly recognised. In designing policy and programs, more attention to these dynamics and complexities is needed.

State Sector Reform and Agriculture in China

Chinas state sector reform process is examined through the key sector of agriculture. A preview of aggregate statistics and broader reform measures indicate the declining role of the state. However, a systematic analysis of administrative, service and enterprise structures reveal the nuances of how the state has retained strong capacity to guide development of the agricultural sector. State and Party policy makers aim not only to support the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of farmers, but also to pursue agricultural modernization in the context of rapid industrialization. These goals are unlikely to be achieved through a wholesale transfer of functions to the private sector, so the state has maintained or developed new mechanisms of influence, particularly in the areas of service provision and enterprise development.

Grassland degradation and livelihoods in China's western pastoral region: A framework for understanding and refining China's recent policy responses

Purpose - China has embarked on a major concerted strategy to arrest grassland degradation and livelihood problems in the western pastoral region. The paper aims to provide a framework through which this strategy can be understood and refined into the future. Design/methodology/approach - The paper is based on a typology of grassland policies – technical, administrative, and management – and a discussion of the emphasis that China has and should place on each policy category. Data are drawn from policy documents and interview material collected through extensive fieldwork in large tracts of Chinas western pastoral region. Findings - China has appropriately pursued “top-down” technical and administrative policies to address major and immediate degradation-livelihoods problems. However, longer term solutions to the problems require the strengthening of management structures from the “bottom-up”, especially amongst herders themselves and other economic factors. Practical implications - The paper proposes a series of concrete recommendations that may be considered as China refines its grasslands strategy into the future. The emphasis in the paper on the relationships between multi-dimensional policies is of particular value in addressing multi-dimensional grasslands-livelihood problems. Originality/value - Despite the magnitude and implications of Chinas recent grasslands strategy, there is a dearth of English language studies on the subject, which this paper aims to fill. The paper includes numerous micro-level insights gained from extensive fieldwork in the western pastoral region that are not evident in more macro-level studies.

Environmental Issues and Policy Priorities in China: A Content Analysis of Government Documents

Not all environmental issues get the same level of policy attention because of the limited capacity of the political and administrative system to consider all issues simultaneously. This article explores the priority attached to different environmental issues in China through a content analysis of 1,564 government documents during the 1999 to 2008 period. The analysis focuses on four issues, namely pollution types, high-polluting industrial sectors, environmental policy instruments and the implementation of international environmental treaties. The empirical results provide useful insights into changing policy priorities in the area of environmental protection so as to gain a better understanding of the roles of environmental regulation in China.

Sustainable Development in Western China

This much-needed study provides a unique examination of the intricate web of policies and institutions that now impact on grassland degradation and sustainable development in China’s pastoral region. Understanding this complex matrix and its impact on the management of people, livestock, grasslands, markets and industry structures is crucial in charting a way forward. The authors argue that the aim should be to manage these inter-locking complex systems in a manner that takes advantage of the opportunities that technology present to achieve sustainable use of the grasslands.

Addressing shortcomings in the Household Responsibility System: Empirical analysis of the Two-Farmland System in Shandong Province

Despite apparent overwhelming benefits, implementation of the Household Responsibility System (HRS) in China contained a number of flaws. The Two-Farmland System (TFS), which originated in Pingdu City in Shandong Province, sought to address the twin problems of land fragmentation and economies of size. A stochastic frontier production function analysis that isolates the impacts of land allocation reforms suggests that the TFS increased efficiency by around 7%. This article highlights the need for empirical analysis to assess objectively the merits or otherwise of particular reforms

Assisting Decision-Making In Queensland Barley Production Through Chance Constrained Programming

A chance constrained programming model is developed to assist Queensland barley growers make varietal and agronomic decisions in the face of changing product demands and volatile production conditions. Unsuitable or overlooked in many risk programming applications, the chance constrained programming approach nonetheless aptly captures the single-stage decision problem faced by barley growers of whether to plant lower-yielding but potentially higher-priced malting varieties, given a particular expectation of meeting malting grade standards. Different expectations greatly affect the optimal mix of malting and feed barley activities. The analysis highlights the suitability of chance constrained programming to this specific class of farm decision problem.

Forage-livestock policies designed to improve livelihoods in Western China: a critical review

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to show how the promotion of integrated forage/ruminant-livestock industries forms a key plank in efforts to improve rural household livelihoods in Western China. Design/methodology/approach - The paper critiques how this industry development has proceeded in the case of Qingyang prefecture in Gansu. The way in which the industry policy has manifested from central to local levels of government is outlined along with how the industry policy relates to other measures intended to improve household livelihoods. Findings - The outcomes of this forage-livestock industry policy do not always match the intention, and the paper examines the various disconnects that arise between government agencies, government and households and households and the market. The foremost challenge for policy makers is in connecting households and markets. Originality/value - Identifying the impacts of policy and institutional settings associated with forage-livestock systems is crucial if improvements are to be made and as these systems become more widespread in Western China.

Rural Development in China: Insights from the Beef Industry

Introduction: The challenge of industry and rural development. Industry Dynamics: Market, household, enterprise and administrative reforms Industry organisational structures and participants Industry growth and segmentation Emerging market structures and industry integration. Institutional Transitions: Types of institutions Horizontal government structures Vertical hierarchy. Policy Reforms: Production support - critique of a specific industry policy Value adding and vertical integration Market support systems Poverty alleviation and environmental policies Food safety and inspection. Conclusion: Forging industry and rural development in China.