AD3FPS: Food Policy and Supply Chain Management

Module code: AD3FPS

Module provider: School of Agriculture, Policy and Development

Credits: 20

Level: 6

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Dr Giacomo Zanello, email: g.zanello@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s): Before taking this module, you must have a basic knowledge of microeconomics (Open)

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: No

Last updated: 17 December 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module aims to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the principles of food policy and supply chain management, raising awareness of how regulations and policy instruments can shape the governance of the food industry and supply chains. The food supply chain plays a crucial role in the development and implementation of food policy as its stakeholders are often consulted to provide insights and recommendations based on their expertise of the food system. 

Following the course, students will be able to understand the rationale for government intervention, how intervention takes place, and critically appraise current and proposed interventions to address food market failure in specific contexts such as unhealthy diets, food safety, food quality, food sustainability and animal welfare. The module provides students with knowledge that fosters critical thinking both to analyse the management and complexities of modern food supply chains and to evaluate the effectiveness of food policies in addressing challenges and contemporary issues of the agri-food sector. 

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to: 

1. Understand what food policy is, food policy themes and the governance of food supply chains and develop a critical appreciation of current and emerging food paradigms.  
2. Appreciate the rationale and objectives of food policy and the role of the Codex Alimentarius and World Trade in shaping food regulations.  
3. Understand the importance of regulatory impact analysis to improve the evidence basis for regulatory decision making in terms of efficiency and effectiveness and understand the economic rationale for market interventions and policy measures to address issues and challenges of unhealthy diets, food safety, food quality, sustainability and animal welfare and how governmental institutions design and enact these policies.  
4. Understand the major issues and challenges facing the food supply chain and how they impact food policy development and implementation and critically examine the impact of food policy on the food supply chain, including its effects on food safety, food quality, sustainability, nutrition, and access to healthy food. 

Module content

• Setting the context for food policy 
• Food supply chain as key player in shaping and implementing food policy 
• Supply chain integration and the importance of supply chain relationships  
• Building a resilient supply chain  
• Regulatory impact analysis 
• Diet and health  
• The Codex Alimentarius and the World Trade Organisation 
• Food safety 
• Food quality 
• Food sustainability 
• Farm animal welfare 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The module topics will be covered through lectures providing a theoretical background to case study examples, pre-recorded screencasts for selected topics and student independent study for each week supported by readings/reading lists and learning materials on Blackboard. There will also be weekly class activities for discussions on topics covered in the lectures. 

Study hours

At least 42 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: /cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Reassessment

Additional costs