Abstract:
Within agriculture industry chains, important changes have taken place. Both vertical integration and
vertical disintegration are occurring. These transformations may have effects on the adoption of
private standards, but more importantly, may also affect the functions that private standards may play
within the chain. I develop a coordinated approach that integrates the value supply chain perspective
with regulatory theory to show that co-evolutionary patterns explain the changes in the supply chain
and the increasing use of transnational private regulation. I then focus on different coordination
mechanisms that are, or can be, used in food chains, and propose a wider deployment of contractual
networks to improve effectiveness of food safety regulation. I distinguish between contractual
networks directed at information production and transfer and contractual networks concerning risk
assessment and risk management. I conclude with some policy recommendations.
