The Global Food Supply Chain

Abstract

AbstractThe multidimensional supply food supply chain, undergirded by economic and technological investment, involves a sequence of production,processing, distribution, and consumption components; the safety and security of these components typically involves multiple regulatory agencies. The emergence of new external challenges—from agroterrorism and bioterrorism to relatively new social considerations—challenge the normal functioning of the global food supply chain. China—a salient example of a geographically vast, rapidly developing country—illustrates the challenges of adopting elements (e.g. traceability and transparency) necessary for ensuring the security of the food supply chain. A broad understanding of food security requires an appreciation of multiple academic perspectives, from economics to public health; cross‐border trade flows both ensure food security through the provision of food imports and, potentially, can threaten food security through the introduction of accidentally introduced or deliberately introduced hazards. New risk‐management systems instituted by, for example, the 2002Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Actseek to help regulatory agencies better ensure the safety and security of food imports. Elsewhere, novel approaches to cross‐border cooperation signal models for enhanced trade cooperation that will ensure security in the global food supply chain.