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Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), widely known as “mad cow disease”, has virtually crippled the British livestock industry. Even though, no cases of BSE have been reported in the United States (US), a similar epidemic in the US would be catastrophic. The added concern for the risk of introduction of the human disease called variant Creutzfeldt‐Jacob disease that has been linked to eating meat of BSE infected cattle compounds the risk of BSE. Systems dynamics models based on the underlying transmission pathways of BSE can help to anticipate the spread of this disease in different cattle populations and assist in the evaluation of potential risk mitigations for preventing its introduction or controlling its spread if it was introduced. With this in mind, an age and health status structured systems dynamics model was developed. By making assumptions and setting up feasible scenarios, the model can be used to examine potential prevalence and incidences rates of BSE; the effect of mitigations including changes in feeding habits or rendering processes and/or other policies and regulations designed to prevent the introduction of BSE. The systems dynamics simulation model enabled us to create virtual experiments whose real‐world analogues would otherwise be expensive, dangerous, or even impossible to carryout.

Belgium was still reeling from fears over mad cow disease and from the news that the carcinogen, dioxin, had been introduced inadvertently into animal feed, when yet another health crisis rocked it. This new crisis was precipitated by consumer complaints about an irregular taste and smell in bottled soft drinks and by reports that more than 100 consumers had become ill after noticing an odour on the outside of canned soft drinks. As a result, The Coca‐Cola Company, under instructions from the Belgian Health Ministry, withdrew its trade‐marked products from the Belgian market. The effects of this crisis were felt not only within Europe, but also in countries as far away as Japan and India. Subsequently, the company identified specific production and distribution problems which could have contributed to the health crisis. Pursuant to the Ministry’s order, the company took immediate steps to remedy those problems, and the Ministry’s ban was lifted. In addition, an aggressive marketing campaign was launched in an effort to regain consumer trust, confidence, and market share. Nevertheless, this incident resulted in substantial financial costs to The Coca‐Cola Company and in considerable damage to its global image and reputation.

The announcement in the press on May 15 1996 that the daughter of a mother who died of Creutzfeldt Jacobs disease is launching legal action against the UK Government for failing in its duty of care to inform the public about the dangers of eating beef is a timely reminder of the horrendous commercial and legal consequences which can follow if an unsafe product gets onto the consumer market. The ‘mad cow’ disease crisis in the UK and the alleged link between BSE in cows and CJD in humans is likely to have a devastating impact on the medium and long term future of the British beef industry and raises serious issues about the failure to take appropriate steps at the right time to prevent such a crisis occurring. The purpose of this article is to examine the legal regime for preventing unsafe products reaching the marketplace in the first place. It will focus on non‐food products, though many of the provisions discussed also apply to food.

The U.S. 2002 Farm Bill provides sizeable direct and indirect subsidies to U.S. farmers, which has created increased competition in markets where the United States and Canada compete. Target prices were reintroduced and the overall level of U.S. Government support was increased. Canadian farmers will find it more difficult to compete in grains, oilseeds, and pulses. Government support in Canada for these crops is significantly below U.S. support. Canada and the United States have a significant two-way trade in agricultural products, including beef and pork. The outbreak of Mad Cow Disease in Canada in 2003 clearly illustrates the need for cooperation between the two countries.

An in‐depth examination of the evolution of legislation, practice and thinking in food safety in the UK and Europe in general. Explores the reduced levels of confidence exhibited by consumers.

Although it is often suggested that trust is an important construct in relationship marketing, there is only little empirical evidence of how, if at all, trust may be used as a valuable strategic variable. In the 1990s, the international food industry faced a number of serious challenges, most notoriously the mad cow disease. The present multiple case study, which is qualitative in nature, explores how the Danish‐British bacon supply chain has dealt with the challenges by means of implementing different types of trust. The study confirms that there are different types of trust that marketers can embrace and shows that when one type of trust is not available marketers can draw on other types. The case study also maps different patterns of implementing trust‐based marketing approaches.

The causes of the recent increase in food contamination in the UK are examined. The scope extends beyond the normal focus on kitchen hygiene, to encompass malpractice at the supply end of the food chain. It is contended that the situation can be improved by making food policy consumer‐ rather than producer‐oriented; streamlining government responsibility for food safety, and breaking the culture of secrecy that pervades food policy; and instituting comprehensive hygiene management programmes.

AND Compendium 99. The AND Compendium 99 , from AND Publishers presents eight titles, from AND Encyclopaedia to AND Timeline.