Sustainable Agriculture and Food: Four volume set (Earthscan Reference Collections)

Table 18.3

Selected qualitative results of the study of five SOQ schemes

LR ‘Poulet Roux du Gers’ (poultry)

LR ‘Veau de l’Aveyron et du Ségala’ (calves)

CCP ‘Covapi’ (apples)

AOC ‘Chasselas’ (raisins)

CCP-IGP ‘Melon du Quercy’ (melons)

Type of participation in the quality scheme

Through the cooperative

Through the cooperative Individual

Individual

Individual

Motivations of farmers to participate in the scheme

Economic (value-added + better conditions of work)

Economic (value-added, reduction of market risks and price variations)

Economic (value-added) Economic

(value-added, market niches, luxury products)

Economic (value-added)

Environmental practices specified in guidelines

Animal well-being: building norms, number of animals per unit of surface, planting of plants to provide shade

Animal well-being: building norms, number of animals per unit of surface

Reducion of chemicalsPreservation of biodiversityPreservation of the soil’s characteristics

None

None

Any additional environmental practices adopted independently of the guidelines

Improvement of the farm’s surrounding: management of waste, preservation of the natural environment

Reduction of the traditional practice of cutting trees to accelerate fruit maturation

Sensitivity of farmer to environmental issues

No

Yes, important to improve the image of agriculture and attract tourists

Yes, important to improve the image of the product for consumers and to improve the quality of life

Yes, but independently of the quality approach

Yes, but independently of the quality approach

Additional factors contributing to the adoption of environmental practices

Dynamism of the farmer SOQ organization (collective action)

Role of the SOQ organization’s technicians