Incorporating sustainability in the food supply chain: The development of a private standard of Nature Farming poultry production in Brazil

Mendes, Cecilia Mitie Ifuki; Dematte Filho, Luiz Carlos; Gameiro, Augusto Hauber Article Incorporating sustainability in the food supply chain: The development of a private standard of Nature Farming poultry production in Brazil Research in Globalization Provided in Cooperation with: Elsevier Suggested Citation: Mendes, Cecilia Mitie Ifuki; Dematte Filho, Luiz Carlos; Gameiro, Augusto Hauber (2024) : Incorporating sustainability in the food supply chain: The development of a private standard of Nature Farming poultry production in Brazil, Research in Globalization, ISSN 2590-051X, Elsevier, Amsterdam, Vol. 8, pp. 1-13, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resglo.2023.100185 This Version is available at: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/331112 Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen: Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden. 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If the documents have been made available under an Open Content Licence (especially Creative Commons Licences), you may exercise further usage rights as specified in the indicated licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ Research in Globalization 8 (2024) 100185 Available online 11 December 2023 2590-051X/© 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/bync-nd/4.0/). Incorporating sustainability in the food supply chain: The development of a private standard of Nature Farming poultry production in Brazil Cecilia Mitie Ifuki Mendes a , * , Luiz Carlos Demattˆ e Filho b , Augusto Hauber Gameiro c a Management and Innovation in Animal Industry, School of Animal Science & Food Engineering, University of S˜ ao Paulo, Rua Duque de Caxias, 225 - Campus Fernando Costa, CEP 13635-900 Pirassununga, SP, Brazil b Mokichi Okada Research Center, Korin Group, PO Box 33, CEP 13539-899 Ipeúna, SP, Brazil c Department of Animal Science, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of S˜ ao Paulo, Rua Duque de Caxias, 225 - Campus Fernando Costa, CEP 13635-900 Pirassununga, SP, Brazil ARTICLE INFO Keywords: Agri-food chain Alternative chicken Food standard Governance ABSTRACT This article aims to communicate sustainability dimensions and attributes for poultry production throughout a supply chain by developing a Nature Farming (NF) system standard. Poultry production is relevant for food security and job creation, an important economic activity and a significant export item in Brazil. The NF poultry production system was implemented in the 90s as a pioneering initiative, opening space for differentiated products. However, certification of NF poultry products has yet to be established and implemented to reach consumers. The NF products are identified as organic on labels, which does not distinguish the method’s sustainability, and communication of specificities needs to be more efficient. We studied the process of establishing a private food standard with a sustainable approach, considering perceptions of the supply chain’s agents. The method was a case study of a poultry company that applies NF system. The qualitative research involved interviews with 27 company managers, 23 poultry producers, seven farm assistance technicians, 11 auditors, and 12 commercial managers. The results showed innovation by introducing a Nature Farming poultry standard comprising product attributes and sustainability criteria in the dimensions: environmental, economic, and social in conjunction with two significant dimensions, which are ethical and health. Our findings indicated that Nature Farming is a specific style of agriculture that is diverse from other currents of alternative agriculture. We proposed expressions and claims about the system’s quality attributes, aiming at the clarity of communication with consumers. We concluded that the developed standard might be the basis for certification of products. This work contributes to improving food supply chain management with differentiated and sustainable processes. 1. Introduction Understanding the world’s sustainability challenges and transforming agriculture practices is essential for consumers and producers. In this context, private governance through voluntary standards and certifications is a valuable tool (Henson & Humphrey, 2010). Voluntary sustainability standards, such as Rainforest Alliance, Forest Stewardship Council, and GlobalGAP, manage global supply chains’ social and environmental impacts by accelerating sustainability-driven public policies (Lambin & Thorlakson, 2018; Rainforest Alliance, 2020). The activity of poultry production is relevant for food security and job creation. However, it should address several challenges to achieve sustainability goals, such as environmental impacts and climate crisis, efficient use of nature’s resources, human and animal health and wellbeing, and social inequalities (Mottet & Tempio, 2017). Regarding animal production, health issues such as antimicrobial resistance and foodborne diseases are worldwide concerns (Allcock et al., 2017; Graham et al., 2009; Price et al., 2005). The poultry industry may expand on sustainability by realizing which attributes consumers value and adopting signaling, especially regarding credence attributes, which are not objectively measured at purchasing (Ponte & Gibbon, 2005). Claims like “no use of genetically modified grains in diets”, “raised without antibiotics”, and “raised with animal welfare” appear on labels in the United States (Bowman et al., 2016; Centner, 2016), Australia (Parker et al., 2017; Parker et al., 2018) and Brazil (Demattˆ e Filho et al., 2023) for instance. Private companies focus on product and service attributes * Corresponding author. E-mail addresses: [email protected] (C.M.I. Mendes), [email protected] (L.C. Demattˆ e Filho), [email protected] (A.H. Gameiro). Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Research in Globalization journal homepage: www.sciencedirect.com/journal/research-in-globalization https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resglo.2023.100185 Received 16 April 2023; Received in revised form 7 December 2023; Accepted 9 December 2023 Research in Globalization 8 (2024) 100185 2 to communicate these properties and levels to consumers. However, there is difficulty in communicating differentiated attributes, which are not always known or reliable. Informational asymmetry occurs when there is a lack of reliable verifications and certifications, exposing a market failure (Akerlof, 1970; Caswell & Mojduszka, 1996) because producers know more about poultry farming than consumers. This article aims to communicate sustainable dimensions and attributes for poultry production throughout a supply chain by developing a Nature Farming (NF) system standard. NF principles, preconized by the Japanese thinker Mokichi Okada (1882–1955), applied to poultry production, consist of an original approach to sustainable agriculture. Using the case study method, we examined a poultry production chain in Brazil for its pioneer role due to the practice of NF poultry production without antibiotics, which started in the early 90s 1 . We focused on the process of writing an NF private standard, which is innovative, given the search for sustainability attributes for this supply chain. We studied the system’s specific criteria and quality attributes of products in current practices. The lack of technical standards and certification of poultry products raised in the NF system was a problem, and due to this gap, farmers have used organic agriculture standards as a reference even though they are NF practitioners. Their products are identified as organic in the market, but this fact does not distinguish the NF method. Communicating specificities to consumers needs to be more efficient (Demattˆ e Filho, 2014). According to Brazilian law, the organic system of agricultural and industrial production covers the styles: ecological, biodynamic, natural, regenerative, biological, agroecological, and permaculture (Brasil, 2003). Possibly, given that “organic system” is an umbrella term, it is difficult for some consumers to distinguish NF. In terms of scientific literature, recent papers about NF are scarce. This work addresses these gaps, and the authors expect it to promote the growth of the NF system and other sustainable agricultural productions. Also, as far as our knowledge, few papers have reported on writing a private standard by collecting the opinions of supply chain agents. We aimed to analyze the process of developing a standard. This article is organized as follows: Section 2 reviews the NF principles, dimensions, and attributes of sustainable supply chains as the literature that substantiates this study; Section 3 describes the research methodology; Section 4 discusses the results and development of the NF poultry standard, and Section 5 reflects building remarks and suggestions. The research questions we addressed and discussed in Section 4 were: 1) how can a private poultry standard based on NF principles be adequately developed? 2) what would be its acceptance by the supply chain’s actors? 3) what requirements and procedures should it include? 2. Review on the Nature Farming system, dimensions, and attributes of sustainable supply chains Initially, we report the history of currents of agriculture that emerged from the 1920s onwards, opposing chemical fertilization and focusing on biological processes, such as organic agriculture, biodynamic agriculture, and permaculture. Alternative agriculture consolidated from the 1970s onwards, concerned about environmental impacts and chemical residues in food opposing the so-called conventional or “classical” agriculture. Nature Farming is one of the currents that make up alternative agriculture (Ehlers, 1994). Sir Albert Howard is considered the founder of organic farming, based on his research in India for over 25 years, where he developed the Indore composting process (Howard, 1943). In 1924, the Austrian philosopher and educator Rudolf Steiner gave a series of lectures that laid the foundations for biodynamic agriculture, exposing a new scientific and spiritual perspective that anthroposophical farmers expanded. The method explains that plants and animals are subject to cosmic influences, conceives of the farm as a living organism, is concerned with fertilization, and recommends biodynamic preparations to reactivate the vital forces of nature, among other concepts (Ehlers, 1994; Ponzio; Gangatharan, & Neri, 2013). Naturalist Bill Mollison and designer David Holmgren created Permaculture in Australia in the mid1970s as an integrated system combining animal species and perennial plants that were helpful to humans. It became an international movement and an ecological design system (Ferguson & Lovell, 2014). In the 1970s, the term agroecology came into use, although its practice relates to the origins of agriculture. Agroecology incorporates an environmentally and socially sensitive approach to agriculture, which aims not only at production but also at the ecological sustainability of the production system (Hecht, 2018). Private organizations built market regulation at the beginning of the alternative agriculture movement. Since 1928, manuals of biodynamic farming were adopted in Germany; Demeter was one of the first organic standards. Many contemporary organic standards feature conformity assessment by an independent certifying body, which is, in turn, accredited by an external authority (Fouilleux & Loconto, 2017; Squatrito et al., 2020). In the 1970s, the negative impacts of the Green Revolution became more visible, and the organic movement gained engagement from consumers in North America, Europe, and Japan. With distance from the origin and higher prices of products, the demand for standards grew to prevent fraud (Schwindenhammer, 2017), and the establishment of national legislation increased the international trade of organic products (Lockeretz, 2007). In Japan, Mokichi Okada (1882–1955) advocated a method of agriculture in 1935 when he taught about foundations for attaining health. Okada produced extensive work about culture, arts, religion, and health. In 1950, the method’s name was defined as “Nature Farming”, and it was introduced in Brazil by Japanese adepts. To this day, researchers and producers conduct activities to expand the NF practice worldwide (Xu, 2001, 2006). The characteristics of NF are the recovery of soil quality, sound food production, and improvement of human health. It is essential to recover the “true nature” or the “natural state” of the soil; natural composts are used, and plowing is done minimally so as not to harm the organisms that inhabit it (Fundaç˜ ao Mokiti Okada, 1984). Okada emphasized in Nature Farming: an agricultural system that aims to construct a healthy, peaceful, and prosperous society; it should conform to the laws of Nature; the role of a living soil; the spirituality that exists in all beings; and the fundamental mission of farmers to produce healthy food, among other concepts. What distinguishes the proposals of Nature Farming from those of organic and other alternative agriculture currents are its specific aspects (historical, geographical, ethical, cultural), philosophical concepts, and objectives. We propose a conceptual map for the NF system, interrelating the main concepts in a sustainable approach (Fig. 1). It summarizes some distinctive and ethical characteristics of the system. Dimensions and attributes of sustainable supply chains According to Kirwan et al. (2017a, 2017b), ethics is a key driver of change in food chain performance. The reflexive governance in which multiple stakeholders participate and share legitimate perspectives can potentially change the performance in the transition to sustainability within the food supply chains. They analyzed corporate sustainability discourses in 12 countries and identified common attributes that portray characteristics of performance arranged in a multi-criteria matrix. They found five dimensions of corporate sustainability across four spheres of action (public, scientific, market, and political), emphasizing the ethics that drive responsiveness to societal needs and concerns. Instead of including indicators in the evaluation model, they arrived at 24 common attributes that reflect performance in dimensions: economic: 1 Years later, some big players in Brazilian agribusiness have also launched their organic or antibiotic-free chicken meat and egg brands, currently constituting a dynamic segment in food stores. C.M.I. Mendes et al. Research in Globalization 8 (2024) 100185 3 accessibility, creation and distribution of added value, contribution to economic development, technological innovation, governance, efficiency, profit/competitiveness, connection, resilience, food waste; social: information and communication, food safety, consumer behavior, territoriality, connection, labor relations; environmental: resource use, pollution, biodiversity, efficiency, technological innovation, food waste; health: nutrition, food safety, traceability; ethical: animal welfare, responsibility, labor relations, fair trade, territoriality, food security, governance. Those findings enable more detailed planning of operations. Supply chain management (SCM) is the management of the interconnection of related organizations through upstream and downstream linkages between the processes that produce value for the ultimate consumer of products and services (Slack et al., 2007). Ahi and Searcy (2013) define a sustainable supply chain as “the creation of coordinated supply chains through the voluntary integration of economic, environmental, and social considerations with key inter-organizational business systems”. These manage the material, information, and capital flows related to the procurement, production, and distribution of products or services to meet stakeholder requirements, and improve the organization’s profitability, competitiveness, and resilience. The concept of “sustainable development” rapidly propagated since the late 80s (Diazabakana et al., 2014). The Brundtland report introduced the concept as the “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (United Nations, 1987). The pioneering “Our Common Future” report warned about two key concepts embedded in this definition: the needs, especially the essential ones of the poor population, and the limitations to the environment’s ability to meet present and future needs imposed by technology and social organization. Elkington 2 (1997 apud Geissdoerfer et al., 2017) expanded the field of sustainability in 1994 by introducing the term “triple bottom line”, known as the three pillars of sustainability, comprising people, profit, and environment. The role of businesses in driving a transition to sustainable capitalism became clear. Corporate Social Responsibility has expanded, and currently, the initiatives are reported by companies based on international standards such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), demonstrating responsibility and transparency (Camilleri, 2015). Diazabakana et al. (2014) reviewed sustainability indicators for agriculture, focusing mainly on the farm level because, at this scale, management decisions can be directly implemented to affect farm sustainability. Farms contribute to sustainable agriculture in economic, ecological, and social functions and may receive payment for externalities. Indicators are usually selected according to the sustainability pillars, and assessment deals with these dimensions divided into objectives, attributes, or themes. Environmental indicators are explored (e.g., greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity, water quality, resource efficiency, and soil conservation), while economic indicators usually refer to a few themes such as profitability, productivity, autonomy, and resilience. Social indicators relate to the farm community (well-being and health) or the society (quality of life in rural areas). Recent literature on sustainability assessment of poultry production suggested tools using theories of Life Cycle Assessment (Rocchi et al., 2019) and Emergy synthesis (Nacimento et al., 2022). The Sustainability Assessment of Food and Agriculture Systems (SAFA) is a system of indicators developed by FAO. SAFA comprehends a holistic global framework for assessing food and agriculture value chains, serving as a reference for small-scale producers to companies involved in producing, processing, distributing, and marketing goods. It unfolds four dimensions of sustainability (good governance, environmental integrity, economic resilience, and social well-being) in themes, sub-themes, and measurable indicators (FAO, 2014). NGOs, governments, and companies have developed standards for animal welfare (Humane Farm Animal Care, 2022; RSPCA Assured, 2022; Souza and Molento, 2015) and fair trade (Fairtrade International, 2019). Private standards, certification, and accreditation schemes were established by entities such as the Sustainable Forestry Council (SFC), Marine Stewardship Council, Friend of the Sea, and Friend of the Earth, which comprise sustainable farming, extractive or aquaculture systems, filling a range of certifications with attributes of socio-environmental responsibility, ethics, and animal welfare, increasingly valued by consumers (Friend Of The Sea, 2016; Van Loo et al., 2014). 3. Methodology 3.1. Scope and region of study From a global perspective, buyers and consumers have been concerned about the impacts of food production. Several studies explored animal production chains and consumer attitudes related to poultry products, considering ethics (including health and welfare), reproduction techniques, and loss of biodiversity (Sch¨ afer, 2019); sustainability (Van Loo et al., 2014) and animal welfare (Bessei, 2018; Clark et al., 2016; Spain et al., 2018). The “sustainable living” style draws consumer attention to ethics, moral values, environmental and social issues, and a desire to positively impact communities and people (Sossidou, Dal Fig. 1. Conceptual map proposed for Nature Farming. Source: Own author. 2 ELKINGTON, J. Cannibals with Forks: The Triple Bottom Line of 21 st Century. Capstone, Oxford, 1997. C.M.I. Mendes et al. Research in Globalization 8 (2024) 100185 4 Bosco, Elson, & Fontes, 2011; Yunes, Von Keyserlingk, & H¨ otzel, 2017; Euromonitor, 2021). In Brazil, poultry production is a highly dynamic socio-economic segment. The country is the second-largest producer and the leading exporter of poultry meat, with revenues of US$ 9.762 billion in 2022 (Brazilian Association of Animal Protein – ABPA, 2023). Brazilian producers have searched for sustainable practices and poultry welfare improvements to fulfill customer expectations. This research studied the case of the Korin Group, which leads sustainable food production chains based on Nature Farming in the Brazilian market of chicken and eggs produced without antibiotics, growth promoters, coccidiostats, and other chemical therapies. Korin is a focal company for 47 broiler and egg farmers in an integration system around Ipeúna, in S˜ ao Paulo State (Fig. 2). The agents include agricultural input suppliers, smallholder farmers, processing industries, and marketers interconnected in a supply network (Fig. 3). The processes of nutrition, broiler rearing, and commercial egg production begin with planning and continue with the purchasing of chicks, pre-lay hens, grains, and feed additives. Those are followed by quality control of ingredients, feed manufacturing, broiler and layer rearing, poultry slaughter, and egg processing. Supporting processes such as research and development, technical assistance, quality management, regulatory affairs, and certifications complement the core operations. A Project Management Office integrates product portfolio management, making it possible to incorporate sustainable requirements during new product development (Paula Pinheiro et al., 2018). The Mokichi Okada Research Center (CPMO) in Ipeúna holds laboratories, experimental fields, and technical staff for research on sustainable agriculture, animal husbandry, and environment responding to farmer and industry needs. This study extends others conducted about the same case of NF poultry production, which investigated its complexity by exploring the dimensions of multifunctionality of agriculture in the territory (Demattˆ e Filho, 2014), the capacity of value creation and appropriation by smallholder farmers (Demattˆ e Filho et al., 2023) and the assessment of the sustainability of the organic broiler production system under the Emergy analysis perspective (Nacimento et al., 2022). These previous research works also justify the choice of case. 3.2. Conceptual framework The study adopted a qualitative research technique (Creswell, 2014). The method used was the case study, applied as a description of the organizational situation of a poultry supply chain, which incorporated a practical problem of developing a standard with the collaboration of different actors in the production chain. The data collection technique used semi-structured interviews and document analysis, such as production process flows, administrative reports, newspaper and magazine articles, and publications on the Internet. The case study method is suitable for describing the situation of the context in which research was conducted and is made robust given the richness of the phenomenon and extent of the context, which makes it essential to use multiple sources of evidence with the data converging in triangulation. Five components are essential in the design: questions, propositions (if any), unit(s) of analysis, the link between data and propositions, and criteria for interpreting the findings (Yin, 2009; Creswell, 2014). For the research planning, we used a methodological association matrix based on Mazzon (2018) to check whether the articulations were well-established, linking problem and objectives; theoretical support of propositions; operationalization of questions; and analysis techniques. The research conceptual framework (Fig. 4) proposes a basic model, where the construct “Nature Farming and alternative poultry production” revised in literature, is associated with the constructs “Governance of the poultry chain” and “Private and public standards” to proceed to the consequent construct “Private standard”. Some potential data sources are company managers, integrated poultry producers, farm Fig. 2. Location of the study area in the region of Ipeúna, S˜ ao Paulo State, Brazil. Source: INSTITUTO BRASILEIRO DE GEOGRAFIA E ESTAT´ ISTICA, 2022. htt ps://www.ibge.gov.br/geociencias/organizacao-do-territorio/malhas-territoriais/15774-malhas.html. C.M.I. Mendes et al. Research in Globalization 8 (2024) 100185 5 assistant technicians, franchise and supermarket managers, and consumers. The elements of this analysis were brought together based on the theoretical references to ensure that the objectives were achieved and that the project could answer the research question (Table 1). The matrix formulated seven propositions (P1 to P7) to test. It contains a summary of methods, techniques of analysis, and criteria for validating the expected results. In this regard, we used strategies (Creswell, 2014) with adaptations: triangulation of data with collection from multiple sources such as interviews, observations, and documents; and confirmation of results with participants through meetings with specialists. 3.3. Semi-structured interviews and analysis of content A pre-test of questionnaires was applied to 30 participants to adjust and clarify questions. From November 2020 to March 2021, we interviewed 80 participants of the supply chain led by Korin, distributed into five groups: 27 company managers from research and development, business administration, and sales (34%); 23 integrated poultry producers of chickens and eggs (29%), 12 commercial managers of franchises, food stores, and supermarkets (15%); 11 managers/auditors of conformity assessment bodies (14%), and seven farm assistance technicians (8%). They answered specific semi-structured questionnaires proposed to each group (Appendix presents one type of questionnaire). Questions about product attributes and relevant requirements were formulated based on the dimensions of sustainability (Kirwan et al., 2017a, 2017b). During the field research, the company had 38 broiler and nine egg suppliers in the Ipeúna region of the State of S˜ ao Paulo, Brazil (Fig. 2). We interviewed 23 poultry farmers in the municipalities of Ipeúna, Rio Claro, S˜ ao Pedro, Corumbataí, Descalvado, Limeira, Piracicaba, Pirassununga, Charqueada, Araras, and Descalvado; the majority (21 producers) raised broilers and two supplied eggs. All the interviewees were experienced; the professionals had two or more years of work, and the sales managers had previous contact with the studied products. Interview data were analyzed using the content analysis method (Bardin, 1977). Qualitative analysis involves reducing data by coding units of text, and subsequently categorizing them by thematic criteria (Sekaran & Bougie, 2016). This method allows finding a pattern in the data as a beginning for developing concepts, themes, and even an original theory (Salda˜ na, 2009). Data were processed with the support of the NVivo software (QSR International, 2021), which, among other features, allows importing data in text, images, and sounds; management of the sources of information; and code, finding categories and attributes, and thus classify themes automatically. The program associates the codes with the text fragments in the reported themes, reducing the time spent grouping responses. Generally, the process is complete when the researcher understands that there is no more to code in the data sources. NVivo is an example of computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software (CAQDAS), used to code a large volume of narratives. However, Yin (2009) emphasizes that it is up to the researchers to analyze the results and find meaningful patterns since the analytical strategy is theirs and not the tool’s. We used NVivo’s functionalities in data preparation, coding and analyzing questionnaire responses, and preparing the results report. In the pre-analysis, the material collected was organized in computer spreadsheets. In exploring and treating the data, the NVivo program organized the qualitative analysis. The interview answers were imported and automatically coded by creating categories and subcategories. Subsequently, the codes were reformulated according to the questions Fig. 3. Operations and supply network for Korin’s egg processing plant. Source: Own author based on Slack et al. (2007). Fig. 4. Research conceptual framework. Legend: Ellipses represent constructs, and rectangles contain primary data sources. Source: Own author. C.M.I. Mendes et al. Research in Globalization 8 (2024) 100185 6 Table 1 Methodological association matrix of research on the development of a private poultry standard based on Nature Farming principles. (continued on next page) C.M.I. Mendes et al. Research in Globalization 8 (2024) 100185 7 and propositions. Reports with word frequency analysis and a project map with categories and subcategories recorded the research. A draft standard was written and discussed with specialists such as the company’s production and quality managers. Also, one integrated poultry producer and one qualified auditor validated the text in discussion meetings. These experts suggested making the text clear, objective, and auditable. We analyzed their comments and wrote the final version. 4. Results and discussion We developed an NF poultry production standard considering the agents’ perspectives in the supply chain. Interview data were codified and systematized into themes in order to approach the research questions: “development of the standard”, “acceptance of the standard”, and “quality attributes and claims considered important” distributed in 12 categories and 36 subcategories described in Tables 2–4. Table 1 (continued) Legend: NF - Nature Farming; P - proposition; groups of interviewees: CM - company managers, COM - commercial managers, CAB - conformity assessment body managers, FAT - farm assistance technicians, IPP - integrated poultry producers. Source: Own author based on Mazzon (2018). C.M.I. Mendes et al. Research in Globalization 8 (2024) 100185 8 4.1. Development of a Nature Farming poultry standard The results of the qualitative analysis are in Table 2. The column “Categories” presents the interviewees’ main concerns about the standard to be developed. “Subcategories” brings a closer look, and “Meaning” expands each topic as premises to develop the standard. Discussing producers’ commitment, they were confident in their capacity to meet the requirements, and with training, their skills and satisfaction would increase. Some affirmed that they had already practiced NF, learned in training sessions led by Korin, and the company’s technicians effectively transmitted knowledge. Some reported improved quality of life; the remuneration was a positive differential compared to other integrators. Some farmers used pesticides on pasture or crops and understood the need for a sustainable transition; they suggested involving neighbors who used herbicides on sugar cane. According to interviewees, a transition period must be established to ensure the successful implementation of the standard. The interviewees considered the formation of an NF grain supply chain fundamental and complex, involving processes such as 1) supply of inputs (seeds, machinery, implements, organic composts, biofertilizers); 2) distribution of inputs to properties; 3) organization of the production, storage, and transportation of NF grains (soy, corn, sorghum, and wheat); and 4) processing of poultry feed. The lead company should ensure technical and economic incentives for farmers. Research and technical assistance should reach farmers for soil life conservation, plant management, composting techniques, and biological inputs as alternatives to agrochemicals. It was understood that Korin should pay the costs of audits and certification. These findings agree with the work of Sch¨ afer (2019). Managing processes and agents is the function of a sustainable SCM, which can face challenges in implementing ecological and ethical production and maintaining the necessary cooperation along the value chain to the consumer (Ahi and Searcy, 2013). In this value chain, forms of hierarchical governance were identified since it is an integration in poultry breeding, in addition to relational governance, with a high capacity of suppliers, trained and certified in animal welfare and antibiotic-free systems. This chain is characterized by high informational and transactional complexity. However, there is the ability to codify information/transactions, and, in this particular, the organic and welfare standards adopted by the leading company fulfill this role (Gereffi et al., 2005; Ponte & Gibbon, 2005). However, a new Table 2 Theme “Development of the NF Poultry Standard”, categories and subcategories obtained from interviews with actors in the supply chain. Categories Subcategories Meaning 1. Ensuring compliance with the standard 1.1. Role of the certifier 1.2. Certification of suppliers 1.3. Nature Farming seal is different from organic The certifier is important for compliance with the standard Certification of suppliers is essential to ensure compliance As there are differences between these lines of agriculture, a certified NF seal should be differentiated 2. Defined processes 2.1. History of studies 2.2. Legislation and standards 2.3. Objective and broad definition Reported existence of studies to support a new standard Brazilian laws and standards serve as a reference for the new standard The standard will make it possible to broaden NF for diverse audiences 3. Compliance with the requirements of the standard by producers 3.1. Farmers’ commitment to Nature Farming principles 3.2. Farmers’ training and transition periods 3.3. Working together with neighboring farms Producers already know about alternative poultry production and want to understand the new standard well The need for constant training and an adaptation period should be considered in the implementation There are interactions with the neighbors’ environment to discuss 4. Integrated supply chain 4.1. Relations with the integrator company A good relationship with the company is a positive aspect of the implementation of the standard 4.2. Preservation of the environment Environmental preservation requirements must be addressed throughout the production chain, from the production of inputs to the distribution 4.3. Valorization of the producers The main point is to guarantee the valorization of the producers but with the challenge of not making the products too expensive Table 3 Theme “Acceptance of the NF Poultry Standard”, categories and subcategories obtained from interviews with actors in the supply chain. Categories Subcategories/Quote Meaning 5. Benefits to the agribusiness chain 5.1. Benefits of standards for actors in the production chain“a standard based on NF could guide the principles that differ from organic and other alternative standards. I think it would also help internalize the NF principles, both in producers and consumers” (Manager of conformity assessment body). Interviewees’ perceptions as to the existence of advantages with the implementation of the standard 5.2. Benefits of certifications Certifications have caused positive impacts on poultry producers 5.3. Improvements in the capacity building of producers Producers perceived themselves as more qualified by knowing alternative poultry production standards 6. Importance of the alternative poultry standard and certification for consumers 6.1. Seal knowledge by consumers A standard and certification would influence consumers’ understanding of how poultry is produced 6.2. Involvement of actors in the chain Stakeholders’ involvement would be significant for the implementation of the standard 6.3. Perception of the brand by consumers Consumers would probably have a good acceptance of the brand due to the standard 7. Coordination and efficiency of the chain 7.1. Based on Nature Farming“[a standard is developed to have] association of the system with the company’s mission, vision, and values. That is not found in the general protocols. The private standard gives identity to the production system” (Manager of conformity assessment body). The entire chain must comply with Nature Farming, from grain supply to product processing 7.2. Logistical complexity of the chain The complexity of the grain supply chain is a challenge to overcome 7.3. Value generation There is a perception that value will be generated through the supply chain until consumption C.M.I. Mendes et al.