Staff Profile

Introduction

I am Senior Research Associate in Rural Enterprise and Centre Manager at the National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise (NICRE), since October 2020. 

I am an applied social scientist in sustainable agriculture, food and the rural economy and hold a PhD in Economics. My research interests relate to rural development challenges and have undertaken quantitative and qualitative research on various topics including: small rural businesses and development strategies, economic rural diversification, regional foods and short food supply chains, economic impacts of agricultural policy, competitiveness and sustainability of agri-food supply chains. 

Prior to joining NICRE, I was based at the Newcastle University Business School (since Feb. 2015), where I was Project Manager on H2020 Strength2Food (March 2016 - May 2021), and was extensively involved in various EU-funded multidisciplinary projects (Strength2Food, Valumics, Compete).

Current Projects

NICRE (Centre Manager & Senior Researcher) - National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise; Research England (UKRI). Centre Director: Prof Jeremy Phillipson, SNES, Newcastle University. 

NICRE officially launched on 1st Sep 2020 - it aims to undertake research and knowledge exchange to inform policy, foster the innovation and resilience of rural businesses, and unlock the potential of rural economies across the UK. www.ncl.ac.uk/nicre/

EU4Advice (Principal Investigator for Newcastle team) - Multi-actor collaboration dynamics and capacity building network inside and between AKIS to foster the upscaling of Short Food Supply Chains across Europe; Horizon-Europe. 

Qualifications

PhD in Economics, University of Kent, 2016. Thesis on “Agricultural Employment and Inter-Sectoral Labour Mobility in Selected EU Member States ”; Advisors: Prof Sophia Davidova, Dr Alastair Bailey. 

MSc in International Finance and Economic Development, University of Kent, 2010.

BA Economics and Politics, University of Kent, 2009.

Awards

European Commission FP7 Research Project ‘Factor Markets’ - PhD scholarship at the University of Kent, awarded by the European Commission, 2010-2013

Memberships

Member of the European Association of Agricultural Economists (EAAE)

Member of the International Association of Agricultural Economists (IAAE)

Member of the Agricultural Economics Society (AES)

• EU4Advice (Principal Investigator for Newcastle team) - Multi-actor collaboration dynamics and capacity building network inside and between AKIS to foster the upscaling of Short Food Supply Chains across Europe; Horizon-Europe. 

Research Groups at Newcastle University

CRE - Centre for Rural Economy 

Research Profiles

Google Scholar

ORCID Profile

RePEc  

Research Interests

My research interests relate to rural development challenges. Specific areas of work include:

• Competitiveness and sustainability of agri-food supply chains
• Food quality policy, regional foods, rural development
• Short food supply chains and local food systems
• Small rural businesses and development strategies
• Rural-urban migration, occupational choice and income diversification
• Economic impacts of agricultural policy

As an applied social scientist, I have undertaken both quantitative and qualitative research methods. 

Current Projects

• NICRE (Centre Manager & Senior Researcher) - National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise; Research England (UKRI). www.ncl.ac.uk/nicre/
• EU4Advice (Principal Investigator for Newcastle team) - Multi-actor collaboration dynamics and capacity building network inside and between AKIS to foster the upscaling of Short Food Supply Chains across Europe; Horizon-Europe. 

Completed Research Projects

• STRENGTH2FOOD (Project Manager & Researcher) - Strengthening European Food Chain Sustainability by Quality and Procurement Policy; EU Horizon 2020. Project Coordinator: Prof Matthew Gorton, NUBS, Newcastle University. 

Strength2Food is a five-year, €6.9 million project to undertake research and demonstration activities and provide evidence-based recommendations to improve the effectiveness of EU agricultural products quality policy and Public Sector Food Procurement and to stimulate Short Food Supply Chains. Our 30-partner consortium represents 11 EU and 4 non-EU countries and combines leading academic, communication, SME and stakeholder organisations to ensure a multi-actor approach. www.strength2food.eu 

** Watch our Demo Video showcasing some of the Local Pilot Action initiatives aimed at "Stimulating a short fish supply chain in North-East England", in partnership with Food Nation & Newcastle University.

• VALUMICS (Researcher) - Understanding food value chains and network dynamics; EU Horizon 2020 (http://www.valumics.eu)
• COMPETE (Researcher) - International comparisons of product supply chains in the agro-food sectors: determinants of their competitiveness and performance on EU and international markets; EU FP7 (http://www.compete-project.eu)
• FACTOR MARKETS (Researcher) - Comparative analysis of factor markets for agriculture across the Member States; EU FP7 (http://www.factormarkets.eu)

Current PhD Students:

• Fiona Hallam, An assessment of the ability of cargo buses to improve the efficiency of small businesses' logistics, reduce carbon emissions from transport, and improve the financial viability of rural bus services, ESRC-CDT, with Dr A. De and Prof M. Gorton (since Sept. 2023)
• Richard Freeman, Achieving sustainable territorial development through the creation of short supply chains in the fisheries sector, ESRC NINE DTP, with Prof J. Phillipson and Prof M. Gorton (since Oct. 2018)

Teaching contributions

Survey design and analysis (Agri-food Business Management and Marketing Dissertation - ACE3099 & NES3109), 2022-2024 (undergraduate)

Student supervision

Agri-food Business Management and Marketing Dissertation (ACE3099), School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, 2021-2023 (undergraduate).

Dissertation in Marketing (NBS8512), Newcastle University Business School, 2019-2020 (postgraduate).

Contemporary Marketing Dissertation (MKT3096), Newcastle University Business School, 2015-2017 (undergraduate).

Past teaching experience 

The European Economy in the Twentieth Century (EC311), School of Economics, University of Kent, 2011-2014 (undergraduate - teaching assistant).

• Articles

  • Kłoczko-Gajewska A, Malak-Rawlikowska A, Majewski E, Wilkinson A, Gorton M, Tocco B, Wąs A, Saïdi M, Török Á, Veneziani M. What are the economic impacts of short food supply chains? A local multiplier effect (LM3) evaluation. European Urban and Regional Studies 2024, 31(3), 281-301.
  • Freeman R, Phillipson J, Gorton M, Tocco B. Social capital and short food supply chains: Evidence from Fisheries Local Action Groups. Sociologia Ruralis 2024, 64(3), 510-528.
  • Panzone L, Tocco B, Brečić R, Gorton M. Healthy foods, healthy sales? Cross-category effects of a loyalty program promoting sales of fruit and vegetables. Journal of Retailing 2024, 100(1), 85-103.
  • Del Prete M, Golossenko A, Gorton M, Tocco B, Samoggia A. Consumer Disposition Toward Fairness in Agri-Food Chains (FAIRFOOD): Scale Development and Validation. Journal of Business Ethics 2025, 197, 391-421.
  • Gorton M, Yeh CH, Chatzopoulou E, White J, Tocco B, Hubbard C, Hallam F. Consumers' willingness to pay for an animal welfare food label. Ecological Economics 2023, 209, 107852.
  • Mattas K, Tsakiridou E, Karelakis C, Lazaridou D, Gorton M, Filipovic J, Hubbard C, Saidi M, Stojkovic D, Tocco B, Tregear A, Veneziani M. Strengthening the Sustainability of European Food Chains Through Quality and Procurement Policies. Trends in Food Science & Technology 2022, 120, 248-253.
  • Amilien V, Discetti R, Lecoeur J-L, Roos G, Tocco B, Gorton M, Biasini B, Menozzi D, Duboys de Labarre M, Filipović J, Meyer K, Török Á, Veljković S, Wavresky P, Haugrønning V, Csillag P, Simons J, Ognjanov G. European food quality schemes in everyday food consumption: An exploration of sayings and doings through pragmatic regimes of engagement. Journal of Rural Studies 2022, 95, 336-349.
  • Gorton M, Tocco B, Yeh C-H, Hartmann M. What determines consumers' use of eco-labels? Taking a close look at label trust. Ecological Economics 2021, 189, 107173.
  • Bellassen V, Arfini F, Antonioli F, Bodini A, Boehm M, Brečić R, Chiussi S, Csillag P, Donati M, Dries L, Drut M, de Labarre MD, Ferrer H, Filipović J, Gauvrit L, Gil GM, Gorton M, Hoàng V, Hilal M, Steinnes KK, Lilavanichakul A, Malak-Rawlikowska A, Majewski E, Monier-Dilhan S, Muller P, Napasintuwong O, Nikolaou K, Nguyen M, Quỳnh AN, Papadopoulos I, Peerlings J, Török A, Poméon T, Ristic B, Schaer B, Stojanovic Z, Tocco B, Maksan MT, Veneziani M, Vitterso G. Sustainability Performance of Certified and Non-certified Food. Research Data Journal for the Humanities and Social Sciences 2021, 6(1), 1-22.
  • Yeh C-H, Hartmann M, Gorton M, Tocco B, Amilien V, Steinnes KK. Looking Behind the Choice of Organic: A Cross-country Analysis Applying Integrated Choice and Latent Variable Models. Appetite 2021, 167, 105591.
  • Majewski E, Komerska A, Kwiatkowski J, Malak-Rawlikowska A, Wąs A, Sulewski P, Gołaś M, Pogodzińska K, Lecoeur J-L, Tocco B, Török Á, Donati M, Vittersø G. Are Short Food Supply Chains More Environmentally Sustainable than Long Chains? A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of the Eco-Efficiency of Food Chains in Selected EU Countries. Energies 2020, 13(18), 4853.
  • Vittersø G, Torjusen H, Laitala K, Tocco B, Biasini B, Csillag P, Duboys de Labarre M, Lecoeur J-L, Maj A, Majewski E, Malak-Rawlikowska A, Menozzi D, Török Á, Wavresky P. Short Food Supply Chains and their Contributions to Sustainability: Participants' Views and Perceptions from 12 European Cases. Sustainability 2019, 11(17), 4800.
  • Malak-Rawlikowska A, Majewski E, Wąs A, Borgen SO, Csillag P, Donati M, Freeman R, Hoàng V, Lecoeur J-L, Mancini MC, Nguyen A, Saidi A, Tocco B, Török Á, Veneziani M, Vittersø G, Wavresky P. Measuring the Economic, Environmental and Social Sustainability of Short Food Supply Chains. Sustainability 2019, 11(15), 4004.
  • Amilien V, Tocco B, Strandbakken P. At the Heart of Controversies: Hybrid Forums as an Experimental Multi-Actor Tool to Enhance Sustainable Practices in Localized Agro-Food Systems. British Food Journal 2019, 121(12), 3151-3167.
  • Harvey D, Hubbard C, Gorton M, Tocco B. How Competitive is the EU’s Agri-Food Sector? An Introduction to a Special Feature on EU Agri-Food Competitiveness. Journal of Agricultural Economics 2017, 68(1), 199-205.
  • Tocco B, Davidova S, Bailey A. Labour Adjustments in Agriculture: Evidence from Romania. Studies in Agricultural Economics 2014, 116(2), 67-73.

• Book Chapters

  • Gorton M, Tocco B, Csillag P, Filipović J, White J. Trends in consumer preference for locally-sourced food products. In: M. Garcia Martinez, ed. Consumers and food: Understanding and shaping consumer behaviour. Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, 2023.
  • Amilien V, Tocco B, Strandbakken P. Participatory Democracy: Hybrid Forums and Deliberative Processes as Methodological Tools. In: P. Strandbakken, G. Scholl and E. Stø, ed. Consumers and Nanotechnology: Deliberative Processes and Methodologies. Jenny Stanford Publishing, 2021.
  • Arfini F, Antonioli F, Donati M, Gorton M, Mancini MC, Tocco B, Veneziani M. Conceptual Framework. In: Arfini, F. and Bellassen, V, ed. Sustainability of European Food Quality Schemes: Multi-Performance, Structure, and Governance of PDO, PGI, and Organic Agri-Food Systems. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2019, pp.3-21.
  • Tocco B, Davidova S, Bailey A. Determinants to Leave Agriculture in the EU. In: Swinnen, J. and L. Knops, ed. Diversity Under A Common Policy: Land, Labour and Capital Markets in European Agriculture. Brussels: Centre for European Policy Studies, 2013, pp.154-170.

• Exhibition

  • Roos G, Tocco B, Abundancia C. Ethnographic fieldwork gallery exhibition (online): Food practices and quality labels in European households. 2020. Online.

• Reports

  • Phillipson J, Gorton M, Nguyen T, Wishart M, Roper S, Ozusaglam S, Khafagy A, Dwyer J, Hotopp U, Turner R, Tocco B, Maioli S, Hill I, Merrell I. The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on rural businesses: experiences and resilience. Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 2022. National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise State of Rural Enterprise Report 1.
  • Turner R, Phillipson J, Gorton M, Cowie P, Dwyer J, Goodwin-Hawkins B, Hill I, Mole K, Nguyen T, Roper S, Thompson-Glen M, Rowe F, Tocco B, Wishart M. What is the contribution of rural enterprise to Levelling Up, and how can this be further enabled?. Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK, 2021. National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise Briefing Paper 1.
  • Furey S, Tocco B, Freeman R, Jewitt C, Reeder N, Melville K, Mould E, Connolly A. Innovative Food Business Models for Sustainable and Resilient Economies. Belfast: Economic and Social Research Council, 2021. Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Accellerating Business Collaboration (ABC) 2020.

• Working Papers

  • Vittersø G, Borgen SO, Majewski E, Malak-Rawlikowska A, Tocco B. Strategic Guide for Short Food Supply Chains. Strength2Food 2021.
  • Tocco B, Lacey J, Whittle K, Freeman R, Gorton M, Hubbard C, Phillipson J, Vittersø G. Pilot actions to stimulate short food supply chains for locally landed seafood in North-East England. Strength2Food 2021, Deliverable 9.4.
  • Amilien V, Roos G, Bojović R, Csillag P, Duboys de Labarre M, Gorton M, Hubbard C, Jaska E, Majewski E, Malak-Rawlikowska A, Menozzi D, Mora C, Phillipson J, Quarrie S, Tocco B, Török Á, Torjusen H, Vittersø G. Hybrid Forums. Strength2Food 2021, Deliverable 2.11.
  • Tocco B, Abundancia C, Gorton M, Arfini F, Bellassen V, Brennan M, Hartmann M, Quarrie S, Tregear A, Yeh CH, Wilkinson A. Report on Strength2Food output focussed learning workshops. Strength2Food 2020, Deliverable 2.9.
  • Mattas K, Tsakiridou E, Karelakis C, Lazaridou D, Chousou C, Filipović J, Gorton M, Hubbard C, Saidi M, Stojkovic D, Tocco B, Tregear A, Veneziani M. Development, refinement and verification of policy recommendations. Strength2Food 2020, Deliverable 10.2.
  • Wilkinson A, Abundancia C, Arfini F, Bellassen V, Gorton M, Hallam F, Quarrie S, Tocco B, Tregear A. Creation of technical support systems and decision-making tools for agri-food practitioners and policy makers for impact measurement. Strength2Food 2020, Deliverable 10.6.
  • Hartmann M, Meyer K, Yeh C-H, Filipović J, Gorton M, Kuč V, Tocco B, White J. Report on experimental research using a virtual store environment to understand consumer food choice relating to food quality schemes products and strategies. Strength2Food 2019, Deliverable 8.3.
  • Malak-Rawlikowska A, Majewski E, Wąs A, Gołaś M, Kłoczko-Gajewska A, Borgen SO, Coppola E, Csillag P, Duboys de Labarre M, Freeman R, Gentili R, Gorton M, Hoàng V, Kuraj S, Lecoeur J-L, Mai N, Menozzi D, Nguyễn Quỳnh A, Saidi M, Tocco B, Torjusen H, Török Á, Veneziani M, Vittersø G, Wavresky P. Quantitative assessment of economic, social and environmental sustainability of short food supply chains and impact on rural territories. Strength2Food 2019, Deliverable 7.2.
  • Hartmann M, Yeh C-H, Amilien V, Čeliković Z, Csillag P, Filipović J, Giraud G, Gorton M, Menozzi D, Quarrie S, Roos G, Saidi M, Tocco B, Török Á, Veneziani M. Quantitative research findings on European consumers’ perception and valuation of EU food quality schemes as well as their confidence in such measures. Strength2Food 2018, Deliverable 8.1.
  • Vittersø G, Torjusen H, Laitala KM, Arfini F, Biasini B, Coppola E, Csillag P, Donati M, Duboys de Labarre M, Gentili R, Gorton M, Lecoeur JL, Lucini A, Maj A, Majewski E, Malak-Rawlikowska A, Mancini MC, Menozzi D, Tocco B, Török Á, Veneziani M. Qualitative assessment of motivations, practices and organisational development of short food supply chains. Strength2Food 2018, Deliverable 7.1.
  • Amilien V, Roos G, Arfini F, Biasini B, Csillag P, Duboys de Labarre M, Filipović J, Haugrønning V, Kuč V, La Spina M, Menozzi D, Meyer K, Ognjanov G, Simons J, Tocco B, Török Á, Veljković S, Wavresky P. Ethnographic study: qualitative research findings on European consumers’ food practices linked to sustainable food chains and food quality schemes. Strength2Food 2018, Deliverable 8.2.
  • Bellassen V, Arfini F, Antonioli F, Bodini A, Brennan M, Courbou R, Delesse L, Donati M, Drut M, Duboys de Labarre M, Dupont O, Filipović J, Gauvrit L, Giraud G, Gorton M, Hilal M, Husson E, Laitala KM, Majewski E, Malak-Rawlikowska A, Monier-Dilhan S, Muller P, Poméon T, Ristic B, Sayed M, Schaer B, Stojanovic Z, Paget A, Tocco B, Toque E, Tregear A, Veneziani M, Vergote M-H, Vittersø G, Wilkinson A. Report on pilot studies and final set of verified indicators for impact measurement of FQS, PSFP and SFSC: evidence from the Comté PDO cheese, Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese, Serbian organic raspberries, County Durham school meals, Locavorium shop and Korycin Cheese. Strength2Food 2017, Deliverable 3.4.
  • Arfini F, Antonioli F, Bellassen V, Brennan M, Fumel M, Gorton M, Hartmann M, Hawes DR, Mancini MC, Roos G, Schüssler J, Tocco B, Torjusen H, Tregear A, Veneziani M, Virginie A, Vittersø G, Yeh C. Working paper on the conceptual framework and literature review for understanding the social, environmental and economic impacts of FQS, SFSC and varying PSFP policies on agri-food chain participants and rural territories. Strength2Food 2016, 87.
  • Barczak A, Bellassen V, Arfini F, Brečić R, Giraud G, Majewski E, Tocco B, Tregear A, Vittersø G. Report detailing the selection of case study regions and cases for impact analysis. Strength2Food 2016, 19.
  • Bellassen V, Giraud G, Hilal M, Arfini F, Barczak A, Bodini A, Brennan M, Drut M, Duboys de Labarre M, Gorton M, Hartmann M, Majewski E, Monier-Dilhan S, Muller P, Poméon T, Tocco B, Tregear A, Veneziani M, Vergote M-H, Vitterso G, Wavresky P, Wilkinson A. Report detailing the methods and indicators for measuring the social, environmental and economic impacts of food quality schemes, short food supply chains and varying public sector food procurement policies on agri-food chain participants and rural territories. Strength2Food 2016, 92.
  • Tocco B, Hubbard C, Gorton M. Competitiveness of the EU Agri-Food Sector: a Synthesis of Findings from the COMPETE Project. Compete Working Papers 2015, 16.
  • Tocco B, Bailey A, Davidova S. The Theoretical Framework and Methodology to Estimate the Farm Labour and Other Factor-Derived Demand and Output Supply Systems. Factor Markets Working Papers 2013, 44.
  • Tocco B, Bailey A, Davidova S. The Reallocation of Agricultural Labour across Sectors: An Empirical Strategy for Micro Data. Factor Markets Working Papers 2013, 45.
  • Tocco B, Davidova S, Bailey A. The Impact of CAP Payments on the Exodus of Labour from Agriculture in Selected EU Member States. Factor Markets Working Papers 2013, 66.
  • Tocco B, Bailey A, Davidova S. Determinants to Leave Agriculture and Change Occupational Sector: Evidence from an Enlarged EU. Factor Markets Working Papers 2013, 46.
  • Tocco B, Davidova S, Bailey A. Supply and Demand Side Limitations Affecting the Structure of Agriculture and the Rural Economy. Factor Markets Working Papers 2012, 21.
  • Tocco B, Davidova S, Bailey A. Key Issues in Agricultural Labour Markets: A Review of Major Studies and Project Reports on Agriculture and Rural Labour Markets. Factor Markets Working Papers 2012, 20.
  • Tocco B, Davidova S, Bailey A. Commonalities and Differences in Labour Market Developments and Constraints in Different EU Regions. Factor Markets Working Papers 2012, 22.