Farmers' Cooperatives and Sustainable Food Systems in Europe

Farmers cooperatives are prevalent in the European Union and play a significant role in shaping the sustainability credentials of European food and farming. This book examines the extent to which these cooperatives benefit their members, care for their communities, and promote cooperative economies. It offers a multilevel analysis of agricultural cooperatives in the UK and Spain, using diverse case studies and a new theoretical framework to understand their role in achieving sustainable food systems. The book is a valuable resource for scholars and students interested in cooperatives, agricultural and food policy, environmental justice, and rural sociology.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 262 pages
Publication date: 31 March 2021
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Farmers' cooperatives play a significant role in the European Union, accounting for approximately half of agricultural trade and thus shaping rural realities and the sustainability credentials of European food and farming. This book explores the extent to which farmers' cooperatives are working to benefit their members, show concern for their communities, and promote cooperative economies. It offers a comprehensive multilevel analysis, utilizing the UK and Spain as contrasting examples, to assess whether agricultural cooperatives contribute to achieving sustainable food systems.

The book presents empirical data from diverse and rich case studies, ranging from large, international cooperatives to small, multi-stakeholder initiatives. This alternative viewpoint challenges the dominance of economics in studying agricultural cooperatives and provides a novel framework for understanding farmers' cooperatives as organizations deeply embedded in the power dynamics of the food system and agricultural policy.

The book is a significant contribution to the study of agricultural cooperatives and their impact on developing fairer and more sustainable food systems. It is one of the first detailed accounts of multi-stakeholder food and farming cooperatives in Europe and serves as a valuable resource for scholars, students, and practitioners interested in cooperatives, agricultural and food policy, environmental justice, and rural sociology.

Weight: 416g
Dimension: 157 x 231 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367510947