Agribusiness and Society : Corporate Responses to Environmentalism, Market Opportunities and Public Regulation

“This volume examines how far agribusiness corporations are responding to the opportunities and pressures resulting from emerging environmental awareness. In particular, in what ways are they changing their R & D and business practices in order to develop new environmentally oriented products, services and methods of production? And what can they change of their own volition, and where is external direction a necessary condition of environmentally friendly innovation? These questions are explored through investigations of particular biotech and agribusiness companies – including Monsanto, Ciba Geigy, Dole, and Chiquita – and their behavior in situations as diverse as California, Europe, Australia, Brazil, and Central America. The volume explores how some have responded to environmental pressures by exploiting new consumer-created markets; some changed their production practices in a sustainable way; while others have complied with (or resisted) state environmental regulation, notably labelling systems and certification. Each study explores how institutional, cultural, economic, political and technological contexts shape the strategies of big business. Topics include ‘green bananas’, genetically modified tomatoes and soy, the new markets in organic produce, health and pesticides, and access to justice. The book explains 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 profit and efficiency considerations predominate, and external environments where consumer preferences, NGO pressures and government regulation are important. The book also explores possible new roles for the public sector. The result is a sophisticated and critical analysis of business practices and regulatory systems in the agro-food sector.” Contents......Page 6 Tables and figures......Page 9 ONE | Agribusiness and environmentalism: the politics of technology innovation and regulation......Page 10 Agribusiness strategies and environmentalism......Page 15 The politics of technology innovation......Page 18 Regulation after the sustainability decade......Page 21 Notes......Page 28 References......Page 29 PART I: Agribusiness’s Responses to Environmentalism in the Market......Page 32 Ciba-Geigy......Page 34 Vision 2000 - the triple bottom line......Page 35 The Farmer Support Team......Page 36 Sustaining the Farmer Support Team in a period of rapid change......Page 40 Vision 2000 in the year 2002......Page 41 Vision 2000 in hindsight......Page 42 Visions for sustainable development and the biotechnology experience......Page 44 Vision 2000 and sustainable agriculture......Page 46 The Farmer Support Team in context......Page 47 Notes......Page 48 References......Page 49 THREE | Monsanto facing uncertain futures......Page 51 Running into controversy: the problem of technological immobility......Page 54 The bottom line: investors' appreciation of an indebted company......Page 61 Confrontation with the public domain: technology in an ideological battle......Page 64 Conclusions......Page 70 Notes......Page 72 References......Page 73 FOUR | The appearance and disappearance of the GM tomato......Page 77 The splitting of the GM tomato......Page 80 Flavr does not Savr Calgene from death or Monsanto......Page 83 The Zeneca strategy......Page 88 The clash of configurations and the de-institution of the UK market for GM foods......Page 92 Conclusion......Page 96 Notes......Page 97 References......Page 98 FIVE | Contrasting paths of corporate greening in Antipodean agriculture......Page 100 Greening agriculture and food in Australia and New Zealand......Page 101 Corporate capital and greening......Page 104 The entry of corporate capital into organic agriculture......Page 106 Constructing 'organics': food products and corporate identity......Page 108 The retail sector and greening......Page 112 First and second phase greening......Page 115 Conclusion......Page 118 References......Page 119 SIX | Room for manoeuvre? (In)organic agribusiness in California......Page 123 Is agribusiness inorganic?......Page 125 Defining agribusiness......Page 130 Agribusiness takeover?......Page 133 Agribusiness influence......Page 139 The value of land in the land of value......Page 143 Conclusion......Page 146 Notes......Page 147 References......Page 148 PART II: Regulating Corporate Agribusiness: New Roles for the Public Sector......Page 152 SEVEN | Greening bananas and institutionalizing environmentalism......Page 154 Images and international markets......Page 155 Honduran pressure to improve environmental performance......Page 157 Two environmental certificates......Page 159 The scope for changing pesticide use......Page 162 Forms of self-regulation......Page 168 Green bananas and the limitations of self-regulation......Page 174 Conclusion......Page 177 Notes......Page 178 References......Page 181 EIGHT | The DBCP pesticide cases: seeking access to justice to make agribusiness accountable......Page 185 The rise and fall of DBCP......Page 186 Banana workers from the developing South seek justice: DBCP litigation in the USA......Page 189 Avoiding liability with a subverted forum non conveniens doctrine......Page 193 Corporate defendants seek an FNC dismissal......Page 196 Latin America takes a stand......Page 197 A globalized economy requires globalized access to justice......Page 201 Notes......Page 203 References......Page 207 NINE | Business and biotechnology: regulation of GM crops and the politics of influence......Page 209 Regulation for business......Page 210 NGOs and civil regulation......Page 229 Conclusion......Page 234 References......Page 236 TEN | Social struggles and the regulation of transgenic crops in Brazil......Page 241 Monsanto and the making of regulatory frameworks......Page 242 Conditions for the introduction of transgenic crops in Brazil......Page 245 Alternative perspectives on development and technology......Page 248 The development of the controversies......Page 253 Conclusion......Page 261 Notes......Page 263 References......Page 265 ELEVEN | Private versus public? Agenda-setting in international agro-technologies......Page 270 Technology as will and idea......Page 271 The Green Revolution: international agro-technology and the Cold War......Page 274 The gene revolution: international agro-technology and the market......Page 279 Food as a right: international agro-technology in an era of 'failed states'......Page 285 Conclusion: agro-technological multiculturalism......Page 291 Notes......Page 293 References......Page 294 Notes on contributors......Page 298 Index......Page 302 Annotation This Volume 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, In What Ways Are These Corporations Changing Their R & D And Business Practices In Order To Develop New Environmentally Oriented Products, Services And Methods Of Production? And What Can They Change Of Their Own Volition, And Where Is External Direction A Necessary Condition Of Environmentally Friendly Innovation? These Questions Are Explored Through A Series Of Highly Original Investigations Of Particular Biotech And Other Agribusiness Companies--including Monsanto, Ciba Geigy, Dole, And Chiquita--and Their Behavior In Particular Parts Of The World, Including California, Europe, Australia, Brazil, And Central America. Agribusiness And Environmentalism : The Politics Of Technology Innovation And Regulation / Kees Jansen And Sietze Vellema -- Reconciling Shareholders, Stakeholders And Managers : Experiencing The Ciba-geigy Vision For Sustainable Development / William Vorley -- Monsanto Facing Uncertain Futures : Immobile Artefacts, Financial Constraints And Public Acceptance Of Technological Change / Sietze Vellema -- The Appearance And Disappearance Of The Gm Tomato : Innovation Strategy, Market Formation And The Shaping Of Demand / Mark Harvey -- Contrasting Paths Of Corporate Greening In Antipodean Agriculture : Organics And Green Production / Kristin Lyons [and Others] -- Room For Manoeuvre? : (in)organic Agribusiness In California / Julie Guthman -- Greening Bananas And Institutionalizing Environmentalism : Self-regulation By Fruit Corporations / Kees Jansen -- The Dbcp Pesticide Cases : Seeking Access To Justice To Make Agribusiness Accountable In The Global Economy / Erika Rosenthal -- Business And Biotechnology : Regulation Of Gm Crops And The Politics Of Influence / Dominic Glover And Peter Newell -- Social Struggles And The Regulation Of Transgenic Crops In Brazil / Victor Pelaez And Wilson Schmidt -- Private Versus Public? : Agenda-setting In International Agro-technologies / Paul Richards. Kees Jansen & Sietze Vellema, Editors. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. 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? How much change is voluntary, and where is external direction needed? These questions are explored through these highly original investigations of particular biotech and other agribusiness companies -- including Monsanto, Ciba Geigy, Dole, and Chiquita. Some companies have exploited new consumer-created markets; some have sought to change their production practices; others have complied with (or resisted) state environmental regulation. The book explains why some corporations have successfully carried through profound changes, and others have not. The key lies in the interaction between profit and efficiency considerations, and consumer preferences, NGO pressures and government regulation Agribusiness and Society examines in detail how far agribusiness corporations are responding to emerging environmental awareness. The book investigates particular biotech and other agribusiness companies - including Monsanto, Ciba Geigy, Dole, and Chiquita - and their behaviour around the world