Supply chains have been a dominant

Supply chains have been a dominant focus of both academic research and business strategy in the food and agribusiness industries for the past decade. Much discussion, analysis, and experimentation with various forms of vertical alignment using governance structures such as strategic alliances, joint ventures, contracts, and vertical integration has occurred. Much of the recent debate and discussion, as well as the controversy concerning the development of these arrangements has focused on the production sector, and in particular, the linkages between producers and processors.