Conflict of Interest Policy

The Journal of Agricultural Technology and Food Systems (JATAFS) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and trust in scholarly publishing. All participants in the publication process—including authors, reviewers, editors, Editorial Board members, and the publisher—are expected to disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest that could influence, or appear to influence, their professional judgment.

This policy is based on the recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), and internationally recognized best practices in scholarly publishing.

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1. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to:

  • Promote transparency throughout the publication process.

  • Protect the integrity and credibility of published research.

  • Ensure that editorial decisions are made objectively.

  • Maintain the confidence of authors, reviewers, readers, and the scientific community.

  • Prevent bias or the appearance of bias in scholarly publishing.

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2. Definition of a Conflict of Interest

A conflict of interest exists when personal, financial, professional, institutional, political, or other relationships could reasonably be perceived to influence an individual's objectivity, judgment, or responsibilities related to a manuscript.

Having a conflict of interest does not necessarily prevent participation in the publication process; however, all relevant conflicts must be disclosed so that they can be managed appropriately.

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3. Types of Conflicts of Interest

Conflicts of interest may include, but are not limited to:

Financial Interests

  • Employment.

  • Consultancy.

  • Honoraria.

  • Research funding.

  • Grants.

  • Stock ownership.

  • Patents.

  • Royalties.

  • Paid expert testimony.

  • Speaker fees.

Professional Interests

  • Academic competition.

  • Collaborative research.

  • Shared institutional affiliations.

  • Professional advisory roles.

  • Editorial positions in related journals.

Personal Relationships

  • Family relationships.

  • Close friendships.

  • Personal disputes.

  • Supervisory or mentoring relationships.

Institutional Interests

  • Institutional funding.

  • Organizational affiliations.

  • Commercial partnerships.

  • Institutional policies that may influence editorial decisions.

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4. Responsibilities of Authors

Authors must disclose all relationships or activities that could reasonably be perceived as influencing the submitted work.

Examples include:

  • Financial support.

  • Research grants.

  • Employment.

  • Consultancy.

  • Stock ownership.

  • Patent applications.

  • Advisory board membership.

  • Paid speaking engagements.

  • Commercial affiliations.

If no conflicts of interest exist, authors should include the following statement in their manuscript:

"The authors declare that they have no known competing interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper."

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5. Funding Disclosure

Authors must clearly disclose all sources of financial support for the research.

Where applicable, authors should provide:

  • Funding organization.

  • Grant number.

  • Funding recipient.

  • Role of the funding organization in the study.

If the funding organization had no role in the research, authors should explicitly state this in the manuscript.

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6. Responsibilities of Reviewers

Before accepting a review invitation, reviewers must disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest.

Reviewers should decline the invitation if they have conflicts arising from:

  • Financial interests.

  • Collaborative relationships.

  • Personal relationships.

  • Institutional affiliations.

  • Academic competition.

Reviewers must not use confidential manuscript information for personal, academic, or commercial advantage.

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7. Responsibilities of Editors

Editors must disclose any conflicts of interest related to manuscripts under consideration.

Editors shall not handle manuscripts when conflicts arise from:

  • Financial relationships.

  • Personal relationships.

  • Institutional affiliations.

  • Collaborative research.

  • Professional competition.

Where a conflict exists, responsibility for the manuscript will be assigned to another qualified editor.

Editorial decisions must always be based solely on scientific merit and ethical considerations.

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8. Responsibilities of Editorial Board Members

Editorial Board members must:

  • Disclose relevant conflicts of interest.

  • Avoid participating in editorial decisions where conflicts exist.

  • Maintain confidentiality.

  • Act independently and objectively.

  • Support transparent and ethical editorial practices.

Failure to disclose significant conflicts may result in removal from editorial responsibilities.

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9. Responsibilities of the Publisher

Novadex Publications supports editorial independence and does not interfere with editorial decisions.

The Publisher is committed to:

  • Promoting transparency.

  • Supporting ethical publishing.

  • Managing conflicts fairly.

  • Protecting editorial independence.

  • Maintaining public trust in scholarly communication.

Financial or commercial considerations shall never influence publication decisions.

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10. Declaration of No Conflict of Interest

When no conflicts of interest exist, authors, reviewers, and editors are encouraged to make a clear declaration confirming the absence of competing interests.

Transparent disclosure helps maintain confidence in the integrity and credibility of the published research.

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11. Management of Conflicts of Interest

When a conflict of interest is disclosed, the Editorial Office will evaluate its potential impact on the editorial process.

Depending on the nature of the conflict, the journal may take one or more of the following actions:

  • Request additional disclosure from the individual concerned.

  • Assign the manuscript to another editor or reviewer.

  • Seek an independent expert opinion.

  • Publish an appropriate conflict of interest statement alongside the article.

  • Implement other measures necessary to ensure an objective and unbiased editorial process.

The objective is to manage conflicts transparently while maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record.

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12. Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest

Failure to disclose a relevant conflict of interest may compromise the credibility of published research.

If an undisclosed conflict is identified before or after publication, JATAFS may:

  • Request clarification from the authors or other parties involved.

  • Conduct an editorial investigation.

  • Publish a correction or updated disclosure statement.

  • Issue an Expression of Concern where appropriate.

  • Retract the article in cases of serious or intentional nondisclosure.

  • Notify the authors' institution or funding agency when necessary.

All cases will be evaluated fairly, confidentially, and in accordance with the journal's Publication Ethics Policy and COPE guidance.

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13. Conflicts of Interest After Publication

If a conflict of interest is identified after an article has been published, the Editorial Office will investigate the matter and determine the appropriate course of action.

Possible actions include:

  • Publishing a correction.

  • Updating the conflict of interest declaration.

  • Publishing an Expression of Concern.

  • Retracting the article where necessary.

Any post-publication action will be clearly linked to the original article to maintain transparency.

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14. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Conflicts of Interest

Authors, reviewers, and editors should disclose any significant use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools where such use may reasonably be perceived to influence the preparation, evaluation, or editorial handling of a manuscript.

Editors and reviewers must not upload confidential manuscripts or reviewer reports to publicly accessible AI platforms.

AI systems cannot be considered independent reviewers, editors, or authors and may not assume responsibility for editorial or scientific decisions.

Human oversight and accountability remain essential throughout the publication process.

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15. Appeals and Complaints

Individuals who believe that a conflict of interest has affected an editorial decision may submit a written complaint to the Editor-in-Chief.

Complaints should include:

  • A clear description of the concern.

  • Relevant supporting evidence.

  • Any documentation that may assist the investigation.

All appeals and complaints will be reviewed fairly, confidentially, and independently.

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16. Policy Review

JATAFS periodically reviews this Conflict of Interest Policy to ensure continued alignment with evolving international standards and best practices in scholarly publishing.

Updates may reflect recommendations issued by organizations such as:

  • Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)

  • International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE)

  • Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ)

  • World Association of Medical Editors (WAME)

The most current version of this policy will be available on the journal website.

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17. Contact Information

Questions regarding conflicts of interest or disclosure requirements may be directed to:

Editorial Office
Journal of Agricultural Technology and Food Systems (JATAFS)
Novadex Publications

Email: editor@novadexpub.com

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18. Commitment to Transparency and Integrity

The Journal of Agricultural Technology and Food Systems (JATAFS) is committed to maintaining transparency, independence, fairness, and accountability throughout the publication process.

By encouraging the timely disclosure and appropriate management of conflicts of interest, JATAFS seeks to safeguard the integrity of scientific research, strengthen public trust in scholarly communication, and ensure that editorial and publication decisions are based solely on scientific merit and ethical principles.

The journal welcomes cooperation from authors, reviewers, editors, Editorial Board members, institutions, and readers in upholding the highest standards of ethical publishing.