CERTCOST

September 2008 to November 2011

• Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hamm
• Meike Janssen

Prof. Dr. Stephan Dabbert Institute for Farm Management (410A)
University of Hohnheim
70593 Stuttgart
Germany

Project homepage: http://www.certcost.org/

The project will analyse the costs, and thus the effectiveness of different organic standard setting procedures and certification systems as a basis for optimising of current EU certification system (Reg. EEC 2092/91). The central task is to quantify, for selected products, all relevant expenditure and transaction costs for certification along the entire supply chain for all actors involved: farm, processing, wholesaling, retail and import level as well as the administration level. Regarding the consumer side, it will be analysed how consumers perceive the various standards, logos and trademarks in the different regions of Europe. The project will make recommendations on how to increase the effectiveness and the efficiency of organic certification for the EU Commission, national competent authorities and private actors in organic food and farming.

Main task of our department is the analysis of consumer recognition of different labels and their willingness to pay for different labels and underlying standards.

Expected outcome: Efficient certification systems for organic farming with lower costs that will  increase the competitiveness of the European organic farming sector.