Business Commons^™

Farmers' Involvement In Value-Added Produce: The Case Of Alabama Growers, Abel Alonso

Abel D Alonso

Purpose – For many farmers across the USA the opportunity to sell their produce directly to the public in different ways allows them to avoid middle-men and often reap higher benefits that are vital for their survival. However, to what extent do they fully maximise their produce? For instance, do farmers consider developing value-added products when they have fruit or vegetable leftovers, or those with blemishes? The present paper aims to explore involvement in value-added food production from the growers' standpoint. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected via telephone and face-to-face interviews among 30 farm owners located in the state of …