ABSTRACT
Food choice is another mechanism forcing change in agriculture and driving the industry towards more sustainable models of production. In the developed world the consumer has become empowered by both affluence and information. The consumer is faced by a market in surplus and food prices that are historically low in relation to disposable incomes. At the same time information on food composition and quality, nutrition and health, and on the means of production is more readily available than ever before and the consumer is in a powerful position to make informed choices. Concerns over animal welfare, pesticide residues, etc. now preoccupy an increasing number of consumers and the food processing and retailing industry is requiring the farmer to implement defined systems and methods of production and to install systems of traceability, inspection and accreditation. These link the empowered consumer directly to production methods at farm level and enable public concerns on issues such as animal welfare, pollution and environmental care to impact on farming practice.
