To analyse whether a causal relationship between organic farming policy and growth of the organic food sector can be established, and to analyse why the countries selected for analysis have chosen different policy models.
Preliminary results
The results are expected to give the basis for proposing new production strategies for organic pig and poultry, which at the same time comply with the organic ideals of integrated production and the consumers’ expectations and demands to organic products:
Development of a policy typology from which hypotheses on market effects can be generated.
Demonstrated in a comparison of organic farming policies in Denmark, Sweden, United Kingdom and the United States that the Danish policy has the most significant effect on the consumption of organic food.
Demonstrated an impact of organic farming policies on the development of capacities in organic interest groups which are relevant for the implementation of organic farming policies.
Considered whether Danish organic farming policy makers can learn from the wind energy sector in which growth has been considerably higher than in the organic sector. However, applying the policy experiences of the wind energy sector directly in the organic sector will be highly problematic However, the experiences can be used to consider new demand-side policy measures in the organic sector.
Analysed why the wind energy sector is more privileged by EU policies than the organic farming sector. One reason is that the former has had much better opportunities to organise at EU level and thus has been able to lobby more effectively.
Agricultural economics cannot readily be applied in relation to policies in which the effects of a given technological system (here the organic system) is to be assessed. Institutional and evolutionary theories are more promising in efforts to assess such effects.
