Year 13 Geography - Food Production and Markets

Choose one of the factors below and assess to what extent it has impacted food production. Your chosen factor must include a case study/example.

Word limit: 720-880.

Due: next Day 3. Bring printout to class - no emails please.

Factors: Trade Blocs, Farm Subsidies, Free Trade, Trade Barriers, Multilateral Agreements, Bilateral Agreements, Transnational Corporations (TNCs, Agribusiness).

Online Resources:

Trade Blocs and farm subsidies (subsidies can also be viewed as a form of protectionism):

European Union (EU) and the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Agricultural_Policy

http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/publi/capexplained/cap_en.pdf

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/4407792.stm

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jul/05/common-agricultural-policy-rotten

http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/11-30-2005-82751.asp

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2003/jun/26/eu.politics1

http://www.ecipe.org/blog/eu-food-security-remains-safe-despite-new-food-price-peak

Free Trade (as apposed to protectionism):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_trade

http://www.globalissues.org/issue/38/free-trade-and-globalization

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100215174136.htm

http://news.mongabay.com/2010/0215-hance_freetrade.html

http://monthlyreview.org/090801murphy.php

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ced2dc4c-631b-11dd-9fd0-0000779fd2ac.html#axzz1EiRsba1o

Trade Barriers (related to protectionism):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trade_barrier

http://reason.com/archives/2006/02/01/six-reasons-to-kill-farm-subsi

http://e.nikkei.com/e/fr/tnks/Nni20110125D24JFA06.htm

http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/agriculture/regulations-and-trade-barriers

http://www.angrybearblog.com/2008/04/trade-barriers-and-price-of-food.html

Multilateral Agreements:

ACP and EU (bananas):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lom%C3%A9_Convention

http://www.globalissues.org/article/63/the-banana-trade-war

http://www.nationalaglawcenter.org/assets/crs/RS20130.pdf

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/en/pressroom/content/20101004IPR84971/html/Improve-living-standards-in-banana-producing-ACP-countries-say-MEPs

http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/development/african_caribbean_pacific_states/r12105_en.htm

Bilateral Agreements:

Between St. Lucia and Sainsbury (country and company). This involves Fair Trade.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2007/feb/26/ethicalbusiness.food

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/consumer/caring/article.html?in_article_id=415556&in_page_id=511

http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/press_office/press_releases_and_statements/archive_2006/dec_2006/sainsburys_banana_switch_is_the_worlds_biggest_ever_commitment_to_fairtrade.aspx

http://www2.sainsburys.co.uk/food/fairtrade/farmers/banana-farmer.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hr_y_xfkxi8

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_trade_debate

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_trade#Criticism

Transnational Corporations (TNCs):

Monsanto (Agribusiness)

http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2008/05/monsanto200805

http://www.monsanto.com/Pages/default.aspx

http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/11/11/us-food-monsanto-idUSTRE5AA05520091111

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/news/features/monsanto-pig-patent-111/

Other examples: Purina Farms, Ocean Spray (and many many others!).