ESTABLISHING A FRAMEWORK FOR AN INFORMATION-SYSTEM

Many decision errors arise out of a failure to understand the nature a nd structure of the information system that supports policy decisions, public or private. For a information system to be reliable and accura te three subsystems data collection, inquiry (or analysis) and policy decision must share the same base of concepts, measurable proxies from the real world to represent those concepts and compatible measurement techniques and processing designs in the data used. All information s ystems must be closely adapted to the specific context of the decision s they are intended to support. Rapid globalization of markets and the parallel revolution in information technologies and supporting inform ation infrastructure, institutions and human capital are transforming the agri-food sector. The food system is moving away from mass markets driven by the production of standardized commodities toward many smal ler, diverse, and customized niche markets driven by consumer preferen ces for specific food characteristics. Concentration vertical coordina tion and integration are growing, particularly in the livestock sector , and especially hogs. Information technologies now permit firms to di scover and track consumer preferences while the new biotechnologies ma ke it possible to create the characteristics in products that consumer s desire in niche markets. Information has itself become an important commodity.