Control measures may also have consequences that vary by firm size, and which policy makers must consider.
Such variance occurs because the fixed costs of establishing food safety management can be substantial (Unnevehr and Jensen,2005).
Fixed costs may include the costs of setting up a management or quality control system, training staff in new procedures, and investments in new equipment for reducing risks or monitoring outcomes.
A high initial fixed investment can be a heavier burden on small firms or farms, as they will have higher per-unit costs of adoption than larger firms or farms.
Thus, smaller producers or processors may find costs prohibitive, and may be at a disadvantage relative to larger producers.
Thus,the introduction of food safety controls may influence market structure (ie.,the market share of different size firms).