TRACEABILITY AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN THE MEAT SUPPLY CHAIN: IMPLICATIONS FOR FIRM ORGANIZATION AND MARKET STRUCTURE

The traditional food supply chain is arranged as a complex array of producers, handlers, processors, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers. As the food supply chain grew in complexity over time, little emphasis was placed on preserving information regarding the origin of raw materials and their transformation, often by multiple handlers, into consumer-ready products. This paper provides case illustrations of the implementation of information systems for support of traceability in Europe. Observations on these firms coupled with the literature on information asymmetry and transactions costs is used to provide insights into how traceability implementation might affect U.S. meat-industry structure.