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Ding, Jiaojiao; Mugera, Amin; Zhao, Xia
doi: 10.1002/agr.22048pmid: N/A
Agricultural mechanization services (AMS) are important for promoting sustainable agricultural development. However, little is known about the effect of outsourcing fertilizer mechanization services (FMS) for fertilizer application to different types of service providers. This study simultaneously investigates the determinants and effect of outsourcing FMS to different types of service providers for fertilizer application in rural China. The multinomial endogenous treatment effects model that accounts for potential selection bias and endogeneity is employed to analyze cross‐sectional survey data of wheat producers. The results reveal that the likelihood of outsourcing FMS is influenced by household (gender, education, off‐farm employment, and risk attitude) and farm (farm size, land topography, soil fertility) characteristics, membership to cooperative, and the availability of AMS at village level. The treatment effect estimates suggest that outsourcing FMS can decrease fertilizer application by at least 6.6%. Outsourcing both FMS and fertilizer supply has a greater reducing effect on fertilizer application compared to only outsourcing FMS. Besides, outsourcing both FMS and fertilizer supply to organization providers has a higher effect on reducing fertilizer application and enhancing yield compared to outsourcing to individual service providers. The results have policy implications for promoting agri‐environmental sustainability in the agricultural sector.
doi: 10.1002/agr.22059pmid: N/A
Promoting sustainable, innovation‐driven growth is crucial for achieving high‐quality economic development in the new era. As a key indicator of companies' sustainability, ESG practices have gained significant attention. However, the lack of a unified ESG evaluation framework and standardized disclosure regulations has led some companies to exaggerate or misrepresent their ESG performance—an issue known as “ESG decoupling.” This study examines the impact of ESG decoupling on agri‐food companies' innovation, using panel data from 2011 to 2022. The results show that ESG decoupling undermines a company's credibility, hindering innovation. However, independent directors mitigate the negative effects of ESG decoupling on innovation. Further analysis reveals that the impact of ESG decoupling is less severe in companies with low digital transformation levels and state‐owned enterprises (SOEs). In contrast, the negative effects are more significant in large companies and the food industry. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the relationship between ESG decoupling and innovation. It offers empirical evidence and expands the theoretical framework linking ESG behavior with innovation. Ultimately, the study highlights the need for improved ESG disclosure systems and enhanced companies' credibility to foster a more innovation‐friendly environment.
Lizcano‐Prada, Julieth; Lombana‐Coy, Jahir; Maestre‐Matos, Leydis Marcela
doi: 10.1002/agr.70012pmid: N/A
Sustainability standards (SS) have emerged in response to changes in sustainable consumer behavior, affecting the production and distribution of agri‐food products. This study assesses how SS influence the economic dimension of sustainability among small‐scale banana farmers in Colombia. Drawing on a comprehensive survey of 99 small banana farmers associated with six cooperatives, the study employs Structural Equation Modeling (PLS‐SEM) to examine how SS criteria contribute to the economic dimension of sustainability, using banana agribusinesses in Magdalena (Colombia) as a case study.
Zhu, Xiaoyu (Ross); Mishra, Ashok K.; Sha, Wenbiao
doi: 10.1002/agr.22062pmid: N/A
This study examines the impact of a sustainability policy, the 2015 Chinese ban on fishing in the Yangtze River, on economic outcomes. Utilizing Chinese county‐level data and the DID approach, results reveal that the policy has a negative consequence, reducing growth in the agricultural sector by 3% in counties located within prefecture‐level cities adjacent to the Yangtze River. Notably, the largest adverse effects is found in the central Yangtze River Basin, compared to the western and eastern regions. The findings remain robust across a variety of econometric specifications. However, results show that the extended fishing ban does not induce significant job losses or income reductions, suggesting that the policy facilitated a shift from traditional fishing to other sectors, thereby reducing income volatility for workers within the agricultural industry.
doi: 10.1002/agr.22067pmid: N/A
While ESG (environmental, social, and governance) is emphasized among listed companies for their stakeholders and ESG disclosures, ESG engagement among unlisted companies has been rarely examined due to data limitations. This is particularly problematic for the agri‐food industry that has significant impacts on the environment and consists mostly of unlisted companies. Thus, by constructing a unique data set of 514 unlisted agri‐food companies in Japan from 2018 to 2024, we investigate the patterns of ESG engagement and its association with economic performance across food supply‐chain sectors and companies' ownership types in the agri‐food industry. We find that ESG practices are more prevalent in the agricultural, food manufacturing, and wholesale sectors than in the retail sector, particularly among independent companies. However, these ESG practices have no influence on total sales in all cases and are negatively associated with net profits in the wholesale sector and among independent companies. These results suggest that ESG implementation may impose economic burdens on unlisted companies, underscoring the need for more effective public support and cross‐sector collaboration.
Barbosa, Marcelo Werneck; Sousa, Paulo Renato; Bronzo, Marcelo
doi: 10.1002/agr.70061pmid: N/A
Despite the growing emphasis on the importance of circular economy strategies in increasing a firm's performance, the relationship between Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) and circular economy needs to be further justified. This study assessed the effects of government support and circular economy‐oriented collaboration on the implementation of circular economy strategies. In addition, we investigated the effects of circular economy strategies adoption on firms' ESG performance and reputation. This study surveyed 235 Brazilian agri‐food firms. Data were analyzed using the Partial Least Squares–Structural Equation Modeling method. This study found a positive and significant effect of circular economy‐oriented collaboration on circular economy strategies and a positive but lower effect of government support on circular economy strategies. The study's findings also demonstrate that the adoption of circular economy strategies has a profound effect on ESG performance and firm reputation. We also identified a partial mediation of circular economy‐oriented collaboration on the relationship between government support and circular economy. This study's findings contribute to advancing the theoretical discourse on CE and collaborative governance by validating their interconnected roles in enhancing sustainability outcomes. Moreover, our research contributes to the theoretical discourse on CE by showing how internal capabilities and relational assets jointly influence agri‐food firms' sustainability transitions.
Ren, Yingxue; Gao, Runzeng; Zhang, Min; Cheng, Maotong
doi: 10.1002/agr.70036pmid: N/A
Based on the stimulus‐organism‐response (S‐O‐R) framework, this study explores Chinese consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for traceable seafood after the Fukushima nuclear‐contaminated water incident. A valid sample of 510 respondents (88.6% from coastal regions) was analyzed using structural equation modeling with bootstrap‐mediated path analysis. Key findings reveal: (1) Emotional attitude (β = 1.495, p < 0.001) exerted a significantly stronger direct effect on WTP than cognitive assessment (β = 0.273, p < 0.05), validating affective dominance in crisis contexts; (2) Sociocultural factors indirectly amplified WTP through emotional attitude (β = 0.981, p < 0.001), while market information influenced WTP via cognitive assessment; (3) Product awareness positively impacted emotional attitude (β = 0.075, p < 0.05). Theoretically, the research expands the S‐O‐R framework by integrating nuclear‐risk contexts and cultural schemas, demonstrating emotion‐behavioral primacy under crises. Practically, enhancing blockchain‐based traceability systems—particularly for coastal consumers—could significantly elevate WTP, advising regionally differentiated policies (e.g., real‐time radiation certifications for coastal zones, subsidized labels for inland markets). Notable limitations include regional sampling bias, reliance on self‐reported data, and a cross‐sectional design, warranting future longitudinal, cross‐regional, and mixed‐method studies.
Wei, Ping; Liu, Hongman; Wang, Junbo
doi: 10.1002/agr.70031pmid: N/A
As climate change and food safety incidents rise, global markets demand stricter sustainability and quality standards for agri‐food products. Environment, society, and governance (ESG) plays a crucial role in sustainable transformation for agri‐food exports. Utilizing matched data from Chinese listed agri‐food companies and China Customs, this study reveals a positive impact of ESG performance on upgrading the export product quality within agri‐food enterprises. The mechanisms driving this optimization include promoting green technology innovation and establishing brand reputation advantages. However, a detailed examination demonstrates that this positive impact of ESG performance is not absolute. Companies that implement quality competitive strategies, undergo digital transformation, engage in general trade, and export to regions with stringent nontariff barriers rely more on ESG capacities. Lastly, we also consider the international coordination of ESG standards. The findings reveal that firms adopting the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) framework in ESG disclosure are more likely to achieve quality upgrading through ESG. This highlights the critical importance of maintaining consistency and comparability in ESG standards. Within the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals and the transition towards sustainable agri‐food systems, these findings offer novel insights for establishing green, efficient, and sustainable agri‐food systems.
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