Philip M.K. Leat

Crops that feed the world 4. Barley: a resilient crop? Strengths and weaknesses in the context of food security

Barley is cultivated both in highly productive agricultural systems and also in marginal and subsistence environments. Its distribution is worldwide and is of considerable economic importance for animal feed and alcohol production. The overall importance of barley as a human food is minor but there is much potential for new uses exploiting the health benefits of whole grain and beta-glucans. The barley supply chains are complex and show added value at many stages. Germplasm resources for barley are considerable, with much potential for exploitation of its biodiversity available through the use of recently developed genomic and breeding tools. Consequently, substantial gains in crucial sustainability characteristics should be achievable in the future, together with increased understanding of the physiological basis of many agronomic traits, particularly water and nutrient use efficiency. Barley’s ability to adapt to multiple biotic and abiotic stresses will be crucial to its future exploitation and increased emphasis on these traits in elite germplasm is needed to equip the crop for environmental change. Similarly, resource use efficiency should become a higher priority to ensure the crop’s sustainability in the long-term. Clearly barley is a resilient crop with much potential which can be realised in the future.

Risk and resilience in agri‐food supply chains: the case of the ASDA PorkLink supply chain in Scotland

Purpose – The paper examines one of Scotlands major pork supply chains and seeks to identify the key risks and challenges involved in developing a resilient agri‐food supply system, particularly with regard to primary product supply, and to show how risk management and collaboration amongst stakeholders can increase chain resilience.Design/methodology/approach – The case study involved in‐depth interviews with seven people involved in the chain and its management.Findings – Reduced supply chain vulnerability to risks arose through horizontal collaboration amongst producers, and vertical collaboration with the processor and retailer. Producers improved market and price security, and pig performance. For the processor and retailer the collaboration generated greater security of supply of an assured quality, improved communication with suppliers, and reduced demand risk as they could assure consumers on quality, animal welfare and product provenance.Research limitations/implications – The studys findings a...

Building collaborative agri‐food supply chains: The challenge of relationship development in the Scottish red meat chain

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify the attitudes and experiences of Scottish farmers in marketing their beef and sheep, and the nature of their marketing relationships. As such, it seeks to identify the challenges that the recently revised Forward Strategy for Scottish Agriculture may face with respect to the wider establishment of collaborative supply chains and the strengthening of links between beef and sheep farmers and other parts of the meat supply chain.Design/methodology/approach – The approach involved a postal survey of beef and sheep producers throughout Scotland, with a sample which was representative in terms of regional and farm size distribution. In total 1,778 questionnaires were mailed, with a response rate of 34 per cent (n=611). In addition, interviews were held with major meat processors and retailers in order to provide a “reality check” for the information from the survey.Findings – The results from the survey show that there are low levels of customer awareness among...

Quality assurance and traceability ‐ the Scottish agri‐food industry’s quest for competitve advantage

This paper summarises how the Scottish agri‐food industry has been developing farm and quality assurance activities since the early 1990s as it seeks to strengthen its competitive position. It also outlines the European system of third party certification for quality assurance schemes. The paper is an introduction to a number of “insights from industry” presented to a conference on “Food Traceability ‐ What? Why? How?” which was held in Edinburgh in February 1998.

Trust and economic relationships in selected European agrifood chains

Abstract The role of trust in eight selected agrifood chains in four EU countries is explored. The empirical analysis is based on a qualitative assessment of 28 expert interviews conducted in summer/autumn 2005. In particular, the connection between perceived trust levels and the prevailing type of vertical economic relationships are explored from the perspectives of farmers, processors and retailers. The findings suggest that trust is more pronounced among SMEs, which are characterized by the existence of personal relationships between business partners. However, as is clear for pork breeders, if a source of distrust exists, trust may not fully develop. Also, if the general economic situation is difficult, the development of trust may be hampered, because all chain participants are struggling to command a share of a diminishing margin within the chain. Finally, if economic power is distributed unevenly, as is the case in Germany, Ireland, Spain and the UK where retailers dominate most chains, trust of the more powerful may be limited.

Quality assurance in Scotland’s beef and lamb sector

This paper outlines the Scotch Quality Beef and Lamb Association (SQBLA) approach to quality assurance and product traceability in the beef and lamb sectors. The schemes employed provide assurance that set quality standards have been maintained throughout the production and marketing chain from farmer through to retailer and caterer. They were set up in response to a growing awareness, especially by the primary producer, of the need to be able to “guarantee” to the consumer the conditions under which an animal was reared and sold on. The schemes have been extended to include other sectors in the meat supply chain. There are complementary but separate schemes which are run by some processor/retailer partnerships and the paper outlines the operation of one of the most advanced ‐ Scotbeef’s Beeftrack system.

In search of differentiation and the creation of value: the quest of the Scottish pig supply chain

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyse different aspects of the concept of value and to provide examples of value creation, identifying the conditions necessary for their production within a case study of a Scottish pig supply chain. Design/methodology/approach – The case study involved in-depth, recorded interviews of between 60 and 75 minutes (undertaken between June and August 2010) with seven people involved in the chain and its management. Findings – Value within the supply chain (i.e. value in exchange) was created through farmers engaging in horizontal and vertical collaboration. For farmers this value arises from efficient pig collection and transport, improved market and price security, and information on improving pig performance. For the processor and retailer, value is generated in terms of improved security of supply of an assured quality and the ability to communicate with their pigmeat supply base. For consumers, value (i.e. value in use) comes through market development associat...

The management and utilization of Scottish wildlife sites

Abstract This paper identifies criteria for efficient public utilization of designated wildlife sites. It describes a survey of the major wildlife sites in Scotland in order to determine the site management objectives and extent to which sites are utilized by visitors. Substantial differences were found to exist between organizations as regards site management objectives, promotion and the provision of visitor facilities. Explanations for the apparent variability in efficiency of site utilization are discussed in terms of organization ideology, funding and structure. It is argued that trusts funded through membership may be best able to reconcile the benefits from current site utilization with the conservation of long‐term use and existence values.

Retailers' promotions: What role do they play in household food purchases by degree of deprivation?

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse the overall effect of promotions on consumers’ food purchases in Scotland and to consider the implications of the findings for food and health policy. Design/methodology/approach This is achieved by analysing a representative scanner panel dataset for the period 2006-13. The methodology consists of exploring the impact of promotions on food expenditure and allocation within households’ food purchases, using expenditure regressions and estimations of the linear version the Almost Ideal Demand System. Findings The results indicate that whilst promotions have differentiated effects by category, they have similar results by SIMD. The effect of the promotions on the total expenditure is positive for all the quintiles. However, the effect of promotions on each food category is complex because of the cross effects between categories. As regards the effect of prices, the results provide a picture that seems to indicate that typical economic measures such as specific...