The Limits to Voluntary Private Social Standards in Global Agri-food System Governance
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In: International Journal of Sociology of Agriculture and Food, Vol. 20, No. 2, 2013, p. 175-195.
Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - The Limits to Voluntary Private Social Standards in Global Agri-food System Governance
AU - Challies, Ed
PY - 2013
Y1 - 2013
N2 - Private agri-food standards, along with certification and labelling schemes, are rapidly becoming the predominant mechanism by which global agricultural production and trade are governed. This article examines voluntary private social standards (VPSS) and certification schemes in agri-food system governance and contends that, while such standards may secure important localized material gains, these are not altogether unproblematic. Furthermore, the potential for voluntary social standards to confront structural injustice in the agri-food system and to contribute to a transformation towards just and sustainable agriculture and food appear rather limited. It is argued that prominent multi-stakeholder standards are increasingly prone to capture by powerful private interests, and that a central role for decisive public regulation in agri-food system sustainability should therefore not be dismissed.
AB - Private agri-food standards, along with certification and labelling schemes, are rapidly becoming the predominant mechanism by which global agricultural production and trade are governed. This article examines voluntary private social standards (VPSS) and certification schemes in agri-food system governance and contends that, while such standards may secure important localized material gains, these are not altogether unproblematic. Furthermore, the potential for voluntary social standards to confront structural injustice in the agri-food system and to contribute to a transformation towards just and sustainable agriculture and food appear rather limited. It is argued that prominent multi-stakeholder standards are increasingly prone to capture by powerful private interests, and that a central role for decisive public regulation in agri-food system sustainability should therefore not be dismissed.
KW - Politics
KW - Governance
KW - Landwirtschaft
KW - soziale Standards
KW - Governance
KW - agri-food system
KW - social standards
M3 - Journal articles
VL - 20
SP - 175
EP - 195
JO - International Journal of Sociology of Agriculture and Food
JF - International Journal of Sociology of Agriculture and Food
SN - 0798-1759
IS - 2
ER -