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Shifting agrifood systems: the contemporary geography of food and agriculture; an introduction

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Notes

  1. While we prefer the term ‘agrifood,’ many researchers use ‘agro-food’ with the same intent.

  2. For example, in 2007 US exports of HVFs exceeded $53 million while those of bulk commodities such as cereals, cotton, soy, and tobacco amounted to $36.4 million. In the same year US food imports amounted to nearly $72 million, 96% of which were in HVFs. All values were record highs (ERS 2008a, b; see also Regmi and Gelhar 2001). The new prominence of HVFs is not at all incommensurate with vertical and horizontal concentration in the bulk commodity food sector, which has intensified as the industry has consolidated into massive “clusters” and sought to add value to its operations through processing and marketing of up-market branded foods, as shown by Heffernan (2000; for a more international perspective see Rama 2005).

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  1. National Museum of Ethnology, Senri Expo Park, Suita City, Osaka, 565–8511, Japan

    Daniel Niles

  2. Department of Geography, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Buraby, BC, Canada, V5A 1S6

    Robin Jane Roff

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Niles, D., Roff, R.J. Shifting agrifood systems: the contemporary geography of food and agriculture; an introduction. GeoJournal 73, 1–10 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-008-9174-4

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