The role of the private sector and corporate control
Agribusiness and Society: Corporate Responses to Environmentalism, Market Opportunities and Public Regulation
Are agricultural corporations responding to environmental issues?
Authors:
K. Jansen (ed); S. Vellema (ed)
Publisher:
Zed Books, 2004
How far are agribusiness corporations responding to emerging environmental awareness to play their part in the 'greening' of agriculture and food? Are they developing new environmentally-friendly products, services and production methods? This book examines in detail how far agribusiness corporations are responding to the opportunities and pressures resulting from emerging environmental awareness, to play their part in the "greening" of agriculture and food.
In particular, this volume looks at ways in which these corporations are changing their research and development (R&D) and business practices in order to develop new environmentally oriented products, services and methods of production. These issues are explored through a series of investigations of particular biotechnology and other agribusiness companies - including Monsanto, Ciba Geigy, Dole, and Chiquita - and their behavior in particular parts of the world, including: Brazil, and Central America, Europe, and Australia.
The authors analyse how some corporations have responded to environmental pressures by exploiting new consumer created markets; some have changed their production practices in a sustainable way by meeting state environmental regulation, notably labeling systems and certification. Each study examines how institutional, cultural, economic, political and technological contexts shape the strategies of big business. Topics include ‘green bananas’, genetically modified tomatoes and soya, the new markets in organic produce, health and pesticides and access to justice.
The book documents why some corporations are successful in introducing environmentally friendly innovations, and others are not. The key to understanding contrasting outcomes is examining the interaction between internal corporate environments where consumer preferences, NGO pressures and government regulations are important. The authors also explore possible new roles for the public sector.
