What is the Future of Farming Within the Agri-Food Chain?

Farming is the subject of frequent criticism as regards the environment, food quality and sustainability. Farmers, technical progress and policies often bear the brunt of accusations. However, the observed evolution has also been induced by economic determinants and by the position of agriculture throughout the agri-food chain. This position is analyzed: the processing and retailing sectors play a considerable role in the transformation of farming systems. The paper deals with the often overlooked influence of the downstream sector.