Exit, Voice, and Loyalty in the Case of Farmer Associations: Decision-Making of Dairy Farmers during the German Milk Conflict

Jan Alpmann and Vera Bitsch

International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, 2015, vol. 18, issue 4, 24

Abstract: The abolishment of the dairy milk quota, increasing fluctuation of milk prices, and the ongoing structural change in the European milk sector led to the so-called milk conflict. Farmers reacted with protests, membership resignation from the German Farmers’ Association and milk delivery strikes. The study analyzes dairy farmers’ decision-making under pressure with respect to their association membership and their participation in the strike with a qualitative research approach. Data includes 34 personal, in-depth interviews with farmers and experts. Results show that rising dissatisfaction and exerted pressure by members of the Federal Dairy Farmers Association resulted in decreasing loyalty and voice, and a higher likelihood to exit from the German Farmers’ Association.

Keywords: Agribusiness; Agricultural Finance; Demand and Price Analysis; Farm Management; Institutional and Behavioral Economics; Land Economics/Use; Livestock Production/Industries; Risk and Uncertainty (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:ifaamr:211654

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.211654

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