FOOD SYSTEMS AND SUPPLY CHAINS

Prerequisites & course information

Requisites: A A E 101 (215 prior to Fall 2024), ECON 101 , 111 , or graduate/professional standing Course Designation: Core GenEd - Social & Behavioral Science Breadth - Social Science Level - Intermediate L&S Credit - L&S Liberal Arts and Science Grad 50% - Counts toward 50% graduate coursework requirement Repeatable for Credit: No Last Taught: Fall 2026 Learning Outcomes: 1. Describe food supply chain (network) components, processes, objectives, drivers and performance metrics, and the main differences in characteristics and management practices for food and agricultural supply chains compared to supply chains for non-food manufactured products. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 2. Analyze sourcing and purchasing decisions for raw materials or finished goods, use business process analyses for food supply chain improvement and determine appropriate production or service capacity strategic decisions for food supply chains. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 3. Apply basic inventory management decision methods, such as the Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) and Re-Order Point (ROP), decision models for logistics including transportation modes and distribution network configurations, and Sales & Operations Plans (Aggregate Plans) for a food manufacturer. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 4. Describe the metrics and processes that food businesses use to monitor and improve sustainability, in the context of Corporate Social Responsibility. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 5. Define the basic characteristics of a food system and its linkages to food and agricultural supply chains, and use basic systems modeling concepts for the development of qualitative assessment of food systems and understand their use in quantitative models of food systems. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 6. Use systems modeling approaches to assess key food supply chain and food system issues such as the impacts of food supply chains on human nutrition, programs for farmers, agriculture research and development and localization of food systems. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 7. Undertake a review of a subset of relevant literature on a topic or issue related to food supply chains or food systems (with pre-approval of the instructor), and relate the content of that review to the concepts covered in this course. Audience: Graduate Learning Outcomes: 1. Describe food supply chain (network) components, processes, objectives, drivers and performance metrics, and the main differences in characteristics and management practices for food and agricultural supply chains compared to supply chains for non-food manufactured products. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 2. Analyze sourcing and purchasing decisions for raw materials or finished goods, use business process analyses for food supply chain improvement and determine appropriate production or service capacity strategic decisions for food supply chains. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 3. Apply basic inventory management decision methods, such as the Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) and Re-Order Point (ROP), decision models for logistics including transportation modes and distribution network configurations, and Sales & Operations Plans (Aggregate Plans) for a food manufacturer. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 4. Describe the metrics and processes that food businesses use to monitor and improve sustainability, in the context of Corporate Social Responsibility. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 5. Define the basic characteristics of a food system and its linkages to food and agricultural supply chains, and use basic systems modeling concepts for the development of qualitative assessment of food systems and understand their use in quantitative models of food systems. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 6. Use systems modeling approaches to assess key food supply chain and food system issues such as the impacts of food supply chains on human nutrition, programs for farmers, agriculture research and development and localization of food systems. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 7. Undertake a review of a subset of relevant literature on a topic or issue related to food supply chains or food systems (with pre-approval of the instructor), and relate the content of that review to the concepts covered in this course. Audience: Graduate