The Oxford Handbook of the Economics of Food Consumption and Policy

Historically, the challenge for humans has been to secure a sufficient supply of food to stave off hunger and starvation. As a result, much of the research on food and agriculture in the past century has focused on issues related to production efficiency, food supply, and farm profitability. In recent years, however, farmers, agribusiness, policy makers, and academics have increasingly turned their attention away from the farm and toward the food consumer and to issues related to food consumption. This Handbook provides an overview of the economics of food consumption and policy and is a useful reference for academics and graduate students interested in food economics and the consumer-end of the supply chain. It is also relevant to those employed in food and agricultural industries, policy makers, and activist groups.

The first section covers the application of the core theoretical and methodological approaches of the economics of food consumption and policy. The second part concentrates on policy issues related to food consumption. Several chapters focus on the theoretical and conceptual issues relevant in food markets, such as product bans, labeling, food standards, political economy, and scientific uncertainty. Additional chapters discuss policy issues of particular interest to the consumer-end of the food supply chain, such as food safety, nutrition, food security, and development. The final section serves as an introduction to particular issues and current topics in food consumption and policy.

Jayson L. Lusk, Professor and Willard Sparks Endowed Chair, Oklahoma State University,Juttta Roosen, Professor and Chair for Marketing and Consumer Research, Technische Universitat Munchen,Jason Shogren, Stroock Professor of Natural Resource Conservation and Management, University of Wyoming

Jayson L. Lusk previously served on faculty at Purdue University and Mississippi State University. Prof. Lusk earned a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from Kansas State University in 2000 and a B.S. in Food Technology from Texas Tech University in 1997. Lusk conducts research related to consumer behaviour and decision making, food and livestock marketing and policy, and non-market valuation. In the last 10 years, Lusk has published 4 books and over 100 articles in peer reviewed scientific journals, and has been invited to present his research at over 25 Universities. He is associate editor for six academic journals including the American Journal of Agricultural Economics and the Journal of Environmental Economics and Management.


Professor Roosen received her Ph.D. in Economics from Iowa State University in 1999. Her research concentrates on consumer economics with a focus on the consumer decision-making process and food consumption and retail, and new technologies. She is a member of the American Agricultural Economics Association and European Agricultural Economics Association.


Jason F. Shogren works on the behavioral underpinnings of private demand and public policy. Shogren is a fellow of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, and a fellow of the Beijer Institute, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.