OrMaCode: ORganic Market data Manual and CODE of Practice: Overview

Part A: Implementation of an organic market data collection system provides the following information

• A quick answer on why do we need good data on the organic market (A.1)
• A presentation of what is an organic market data collection system (A.2)
• An overview on the importance of better data (A.3)

Section A.1 Why do we need good data on the organic market includes

• A short introduction (A.1.1)
• The reasons behind the low quality and poor information of organic market data, despite the growth of the organic sector (A.1.2)
• An overview of previous and running EU project involved in improving organic market data collection system (A.1.3)

Section A.2 What is an organic market data collection system focuses on

• On the current data collection and dissemination efforts at national and transnational level (A.2.1)
• On data collected at national level, classified into four groups: Primary production (A.2.2), prices (A.2.3), domestic market (A.2.4) and international trade data (A.2.5)

Section A.3 The importance of better data covers

• The concept of data quality (A.3.1)
• The issues of quality and quality checks (A.3.2)

Section A.4 shows how to assess current organic market data production and dissemination systems by slightly adapting the Eurostat methodology and indicators

Part B: OrMaCode Code of Practice includes:

• An introduction to the Eurostat Code of Practice and to the OrMaCode Code of Practice (B.1)
• The list of principles and the related indicators, organised according to the three sections of the European Statistics Code of Practice: Institutional Environment (B.2), Statistical Processes (B.3) and Statistical Output (B.4).

Section B.1 on the EUROSTAT Code of Practice & OrMaCode presents the aim of the OrMaCode Code of Practice: to set out a code of practice for the initiation and maintenance of good organic market data collection and publication procedures. The Principles guarantee that the data are collected and disseminated according to a common quality framework.

Section B.2 Institutional environment presents 6 principles, for each of which a set of indicators of good practice is provided.

Section B.3 Statistical Processes presents 4 principles, for each of which a set of indicators of good practice is provided.

Section B.4 Statistical Output presents 5 principles, for each of which a set of indicators of good practice is provided.

Part C: How to establish and implement an organic market data collection system (Manual) provides

• An overview of the data collection process (C.1)
• The guidelines on the collection of four data categories relevant to the organic market (C.2)
• The description of the survey tools (C.3)
• The detailed paths of data processing, storage and analysis (C.4)
• Consideration about the publication and dissemination of organic market data (C.5)

Section C.1 Overview of data collection process translates the principles of the Code of Practice into practical guidelines for current and prospective data collectors.

Section C.2 Guidelines on the collection of different data categories relevant to organic market provides

• An Introduction (C.2.1)
• Area data and livestock number guidelines (C.2.2)
• Production data collection guideline (C.2.3)
• Farm-level prices guideline (C.2.4)
• Retail prices guideline (C.2.5)
• Domestic market data collection guideline (C.2.6)
• International trade data collection guideline (C.2.7)

Section C.3 Development of survey tools explains

• How could a database for organic market data  be structured (C.3.1). The OrganicDataNetwork database has been taken as an example
• How basic data on the organic sector and market have been collected in the framework of the OrganicDataNetwork project, by presenting the OrganicDatanetworkl questionnaire for different indicators and data collection methods (C.3.2)

Section C.4 Data processing, storage and analysis explain what tools could be used for

• Data quality check (C.4.2) after having inputted data (C.4.1) and
• Data analysis (C.4.3)

Section C.5 Publication and dissemination deals with

• Format of publications (C.5.1)
• Online vs. paper publication (C.5.2)
• Timeliness vs. accuracy (C.5.3)
• Free availability vs. internal usage of data for data providers, sold at cost (C.5.4)

Part D: Methodological background of data collection provides the basic knowledge and tools in order to collect organic market data directly by the data collector.

More specifically Part D describes eight steps involved in the collection process of organic market data (D.1 – D.8).
 
Section D.1 describes step 1: Define your aims and set up your work schedule   

Section D.2 describes step 2: Secondary research  

Section D.3 describes step 3: Sampling – from whom do you collect your data?  

Section D.4 describes step 4: Check for potential survey errors

Section D.5 describes step 5: Choice of research design   

Section D.6 describes step 6: Choice of data collection method   

Section D.7 describes step 7: Questionnaire design   

Section D.8 describes step 8: Quality checks   
 
Section D.9 provides the Glossary of Statistical Terms

Part E: List of references shows all references used in OrMaCode

OrMaCode navigation tips

• To move between the parts of the OrMaCode and to  move within a section, use the links on the left side.
• To return to thehomepage, click on Home in the top panel.
• The OrMaCode is organized in having just internal links to other sections or parts
• The references (section E) are linked to external web pages

Copyright

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.
The widespread distribution and use of this product is encouraged free of charge, subject to recognition that the Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy and the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Frick, Switzerland are the lead organisations responsible for its development and maintenance and retain the copyright for OrMaCode.

Contacts

Comments on OrMaCode content, and enquiries concerning support with the application of OrMaCode are welcome:

• Dr. Helga Willer, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Ackerstrasse 113, 5070 Frick, Switzerland, Tel.: +41 865 7272, Fax +41 865 7273, e-mail: helga.willer(at)fibl.org
• Prof. Raffaele Zanoli, Università Poliecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy, Tel.: +39 071 220 4929, Fax +39 071 220 4474 e-mail: zanoli(at)agrecon.univpm.it