Economic incentives for firms to implement enhanced food safety controls: case of the Canadian red meat and poultry processing sector.

摘要

This study assesses quantitatively the economic incentives for firms to adopt food safety controls and the potential impact of a number of firm- and market-specific characteristics on this behaviour, focusing on the red meat and poultry processing sector in Canada. Data were collected through a postal survey of red meat and poultry processing plants (n=279), conducted over August-December 2003. The results suggest that market-based (private) incentives have a greater impact on the food safety responsiveness of firms in this sector than government regulatory actions. This creates challenges for regulators in defining policy instruments that promote greater levels of food safety control in food processing sectors rather than constraining firms from taking initiatives that exceed regulatory requirements..