Life Sciences Commons^™

Investigating Specialty Crop Farmers’ Preferences For Contract Design And Attitudes Towards Blockchain-Based Smart Contracts, Esther Mmenaa Agyemang-Duah

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines small and medium scale specialty crop growers’ preferences for marketing contract attributes and willingness to adopt blockchain-based smart contracts. The data used were collected using an online survey and discrete choice experiment. Findings indicate that farmers prefer higher average prices, cash, check or electronic bank payment over cryptocurrency, and immediate payment upon product delivery over delayed payment. When choosing a contract, farmers viewed traditional text-based contracts and digital platforms with automated smart contracts equivalently, on average. On average, farmers showed no preference for providing and not providing traceability lot codes to buyers, and between choosing a contract …

Willingness To Pay For Reintroducing Wolves In A Divided Voting Base, Dana Lk Hoag, Jesse Burkhardt, Benjamin Ghasemi, Stewart W. Breck, Rebecca Niemiec, Kevin Crooks

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Wolves will soon be reintroduced in Colorado based on a statewide ballot initiative that narrowly passed in November 2020. Using an economic choice experiment, we estimate the benefits that wolf introduction might bring to Colorado. We calculated willingness to pay (WTP) for a sustainable wolf population by considering six program attributes: 1) state wolf population, 2) compensation for livestock-related losses, 3) cost-sharing for conflict reduction, 4) number of livestock killed statewide, 5) lethal government control of wolves, and 6) wolf hunting. Respondents who reported they voted yes on the ballot initiative had a positive WTP for a population of 200 …

Consumer Preferences For Lab Grown Meat: The Effect Of Information On Consumer Choice, Aryn Blumenberg

Food Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Global population growth and increased meat demand present challenges for the agricultural industry to produce meat sustainably. In-vitro meat (IVM) is an alternative that could reduce negative impacts associated with livestock production. The goal of this study was to examine consumers’ preferences for IVM. A choice experiment was created with twelve choice tasks that varied across five attributes: production method (IVM or conventional), carbon trust label, organic label, animal welfare label, and price. 1,120 US consumers were randomly assigned to one of four information treatments, differing by information presented regarding IVM: 1) neutral (baseline), 2) positive, 3) negative, and 4) …

Producer Willingness To Pay For Enhanced Packaging To Prevent Postharvest Decay Of Strawberries, Brian Coffey, Valentina Trinetta, Londa Nwadike, Umut Yucel

Journal of Applied Farm Economics

We surveyed specialty crop producers in Kansas and Missouri to determine producer willingness to pay for new active packaging technology that prevents postharvest loss and increases shelf life. The survey also asked demographic questions to determine the producer and operation traits for this growing segment of production agriculture. More than half of those surveyed were female, and 60% were under 50 years of age. Smaller operations tend to utilize direct marketing and social media activity more than larger operations. Parametric willingness to pay estimates are approximately $0.39 per cardboard flat to purchase the antifungal film that increases shelf life of …

Household’S Perception And Their Willingness To Pay For Pesticides-Free Fruits In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Kp) Province Of Pakistan: A Double-Bounded Dichotomous Choice Contingent Valuation Study, Jahangir Khan, Abbasullah Jan, Kar Ho Lim, Syed Attaullah Shah, Aditya R. Khanal, Ghaffar Ali

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

This study investigated household’s willingness to pay (WTP) for pesticide-free locally produced fresh fruits in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. A Contingent Valuation Survey Method (CVM), constructed with a double-bounded WTP elicitation format, was used to interview a randomly selected sample of 600 households. Survey data revealed that households were willing to pay on average rupees 26 more per kilogram of pesticides free fruits. Results from regression analysis showed that age of the household head and his awareness of pesticides use over fruits, household size and their total monthly income were significant determinants of their WTP. In addition, health concern and environment …

Cow-Calf Producers’ Willingness To Pay For Bulls Resistant To Horn Flies (Diptera: Muscidae), Lettie Mckay, Karen L. Delong, Susan Schexnayder, Andrew P. Griffith, David B. Taylor, Pia Olafson, R. T. Trout Fryxell

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Horn flies (Haematobia irritans (L.)) have long posed animal health and welfare concerns. Economic losses to the cattle and dairy industries from their blood-feeding behavior include decreased weight gain, loss in milk productivity, and transmission of bacteria causing mastitis in cattle. Horn fly management strategies are labor intensive and can become ineffective due to the horn fly’s ability to develop insecticide resistance. Research indicates that for some cattle herds, genetically similar animals consistently have fewer flies suggesting those animals are horn fly resistant (HFR) and that the trait is heritable; however, it is currently unknown if cattle producers value this …

Assessing Rice Consumers’ Preferences And Willingness To Pay In Haiti, Cleeford Pavilus

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In the last 30 years, rice has become the number one food staple in Haiti, and rice imports have outpaced domestic production to supply the country’s increasing rice demand. Policy makers support the claim that increasing local rice supply will not only reduce the dependency on imported rice but also upheave the national economy. However, there is a lack of information on Haitian consumers’ preferences for rice to aid the development of the local rice supply chain. This research aims to bridge that gap by assessing Haitian consumer preferences and willingness to pay for selected rice quality characteristics. The results …

Point-Of-Sale Specific Willingness To Pay For Quality-Differentiated Beef, Kar Ho Lim, Michael Vassalos, Michael R. Reed

Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

Despite the growing interest of producers and consumers toward grass-fed, local, and organic beef, the supply chain for these products to reach consumers is not always clear-cut. Among the available options are direct-to-consumers and the conventional food supply chain. Although consumers may pay a premium for beef differentiated by quality attributes, the willingness to pay (WTP) difference across point-of-sales is unclear. In this study, we contrast the WTPs for conventional, grass-fed, local, and organic beef by brick-and-mortar supermarkets (B&Ms), farmers’ markets, and via online stores. We conduct a choice experiment with a nationwide online sample of American consumers. The findings …

Consumer Perceptions Of Fruit And Vegetable Origin, Growing Methods, And Willingness To Pay In Trinidad And Tobago Marketplaces: Implications For Extension Programming, M’Randa R. Sandlin, James R. Lindner, Kim E. Dooley, Summer F. Odom, Leonardo Lombardini, Kauahi Perez

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Consumer behavior is a complex phenomenon encompassing internal, external, and situational factors. This study examined perceptions of market consumers about fruits and vegetables in Trinidad and Tobago in terms of produce origin, growing method, and willingness to pay. A stratified purposive sample of consumers at 14 unique market locations was surveyed to measure the three constructs and demographics. Descriptive statistics, correlational analysis, a ttest, and one-way analysis of variance were used to analyze the data. Findings revealed consumers have positive perceptions of locally grown produce and produce grown without chemicals. Findings also revealed a slight willingness to pay more for …

Assessing Tourists’ Preferences For Recreational Trips In National And Natural Parks As A Premise For Long-Term Sustainable Management Plans, Diana E. Dumitras, Iulia C. Muresan, Ionel M. Jitea, Valentin C. Mihai, Simona E. Balazs, Tiberiu Iancu

Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

Sustainable tourism management plans rely on relevant and consistent information about factors that can influence the decision to visit a protected area. This paper uses the choice experiment method to investigate tourists’ preferences with regard to recreational trip characteristics in national and natural parks in Romania. An on-site survey questionnaire was administered to visitors. The multinomial logit model was employed to investigate the preference orderings of the identified groups of recreational users. Overall, results indicate that tourists gain benefits after visiting the parks. Main preference differences were found for information sources and location of campsites. Visitors who stated that the …

Selection Of Breeding Stock By U.S. Meat Goat Producers, Narayan Nyaupane, Jeffrey Gillespie, Kenneth Mcmillin, Robert Harrison, Isaac Stienei

Community & Leadership Development Faculty Publications

Using nationwide survey data, we investigate U.S. meat goat producer preferences and willingness to pay for meat goat breeding stock attributes. Discrete choice experiments were employed, and mixed logit and latent class models were used for analysis. Results showed that producers preferred animals that were highly masculine/feminine, had good structure and soundness, and were of the Boer breed, whereas they preferred fewer animals that were older, of Kiko and Spanish breeds, and priced higher. Significant preference heterogeneity was found among the respondents. Larger-scale producers had greater preference for high masculinity/femininity, good structure and soundness, and Boer bucks.

Willingness To Pay For Irrigation Water Under Scarcity Conditions, Tyler Robert Knapp

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Reliance of Arkansas agricultural producers on groundwater for irrigation has led to depletion of the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer. Without intervention, consequences include insufficient groundwater to meet irrigation demand as well as drawdown of the deeper Sparta Aquifer, upon which communities in eastern Arkansas rely for non-agricultural use. Among proposed solutions to combat groundwater decline is the construction of off-farm surface water infrastructure to meet the irrigation needs of producers. Despite the importance of irrigated agriculture to Arkansas, there is little know about the economic value of irrigation water to producers. Thus, we implement a double-bounded dichotomous choice contingent …

Query Theory Applications: Choice Experiments Under Oath, Attendance To Attributes, And Genetically Modified Food Labeling Policy, Nathan Paul Kemper

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, there has been an intensifying campaign by some stakeholders regarding concern over genetically modified (GM) foods in the U.S. As a result, the issue of labeling has entered into the federal agenda. This research uses Query Theory to provide a deeper understanding of the demand for GM foods and the preferences for GM policy. Query theory is first applied to the formation of hypothetical bias in the estimation of consumers’ willingness-to-pay. To address this, the honesty oath is used as an ex-ante technique to reduce hypothetical bias.

Paper one using Query Theory in a discrete-choice experiment (DCE) …

Consumer Willingness To Pay For Genetically Engineered Edamame, Elijah John Wolfe

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effect of GM labeling on consumer willingness to pay (WTP) for edamame. It also investigated how people reacted to different messages and whether the order of receiving positive or negative information about GM technology impacted their willingness to pay (WTP). The study had three components: (1) a sensory test of GM and non-GM labeled products; (2) a non-hypothetical experimental auction to assess WTP for GM, non-GM and unlabeled products; and (3) a questionnaire to collect demographics and other information from the participants. Results of the sensory evaluation revealed no statistically significant difference between GM and non-GM …

Values For Recreational Beach Quality In Oahu, Hawaii, Jerrod M. Penn, Wuyang Hu, Linda Cox, Lara Kozloff

Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

Pristine coastal environments are the key to Hawaii’s worldwide fame and attraction to tourists, yet their economic value remains understudied. This article examines preferences for characteristics associated with beach recreation in Oahu, Hawaii, among residents and tourists. Consideration is given to sand quality, water quality, congestion levels, and swimming safety conditions in the context of a choice experiment. The choice experiment conveys attribute levels almost entirely through pictures, and results suggest that this novel portrayal is well understood by respondents. Excessive congestion and water quality are regarded as the most important beach attributes, specifically the avoidance of poor water quality …

Economic Considerations Of Aggressively Treating The Influenza Virus In Equines, Charlotte R. Hansen

Theses and Dissertations--Agricultural Economics

The equine influenza virus is a significant cause of respiratory disease in horses. Even though horses generally recover from this virus, sometimes horses with equine influenza develop secondary bacterial infections which can cause severe pneumonia, thereby increasing recovery times. Owners and managers are faced with the decision of whether to delay preventative treatment in hopes of the horse avoids contracting a secondary bacterial infection (“wait and see”) or aggressively treat the horse with an antibiotic in hopes of avoiding a serious infection (“treat now”). From a decision making standpoint, the economic considerations include explicit treatment costs as well as nonmonetary …

A Conjoint Analysis Study Of Preferences And Purchasing Behavior Of Potential Adopters Of The Bureau Of Land Management Wild Horses, Omotoyosi O. Adekunle

Theses and Dissertations--Agricultural Economics

This study uses conjoint analysis to examine the preferences of buyers for Bureau of Land Management (BLM) wild horses based on physical attributes of wild horses and individual characteristics of the buyers. Generalized ordered logit models and multinomial logit models are used to study the impact of the buyers’ demographic characteristics such as age, gender, knowledge about wild horse care, and number of wild horses previously adopted on physical attributes of the horses such as color, age, height, training status, temperament, conformation, and unique markings. Using a choice experiment, taken together, these attributes determine buyer’s preferences for a wild horse. …

Preference On Medication Therapy Management (Mtm) Service: Results From Discrete Choice Experiment, Sutthawan Chancheochai, Rungpetch Sakulbumrungsil, Surachat Ngorsurachet

The Thai Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Objectives: To assess preference and estimate willingness to pay (WTP) for medication therapy management (MTM) service. Method: A discrete choice experiment (DCE) was conducted in general population. The five relevant MTM service attributes (service sett...

Evolution Of Food Quality Demand In The Food Service Industry In China: The Case Of Duck, Rachel Alison Carnegie

Open Access Theses

Booming economic growth and rising consumer incomes have impacted food preferences and purchasing behavior in China. At the same time, several internationally publicized food safety incidents, particularly in the animal husbandry sector, have heightened awareness of and concern for food safety and quality in meat and dairy. Rising quality demand and safety concerns have been studied at length in the food retail sector, but also appear to be important in the food service industry. This research uses data from a survey of duck restaurant managers and consumers in Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Guangzhou to determine preferences and willingness to pay …

Application Of Choice-Based Conjoint Analysis To Determine Consumers' Preferences And Willingness To Pay For Grass Fed Beef In The United States, Franklin Fernando Vaca Moran

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

U.S. consumption of beef has declined during the last three decades. Consumer preferences have shifted toward products that are considered healthy, environmentally friendly and obtained through sustainable production methods. Because of the characteristics of grass-fed beef production, consumers are becoming more interested in grass-fed beef products than conventional beef products. A choice-based experiment was used to assess consumer’s preferences for grass-fed beef. A national online survey was conducted in May 2012 and the information from 4000 respondents was collected from the entire U.S. The respondents were divided in two groups of similar size: grass-fed beef eaters, comprised by the respondents …

A Comparative Study Of Customer Perceptions Regarding Green Restaurant Practices: Fast Food Vs. Upscale Casual, Robin B. Dipietro, Susan Gregory

Hospitality Review

The current exploratory study was designed to determine the impact that green restaurant practices may have on intention to visit a restaurant and willingness to pay more because of those green practices. The study analyzed a convenience sample of 260 surveys from customers in fast food restaurants and 501 surveys from customers in upscale casual restaurants in the Midwestern United States (U.S.) in order to determine if there were differences in the perception of guests regarding these types of restaurants and their green practices. The findings showed that upscale casual restaurant customers believed they are knowledgeable at a higher level …

Thoroughbred Farm Managers' Willingness-To-Pay For Alternative Deworming Regimens In Horses, Marion Angélique Robert

Theses and Dissertations--Agricultural Economics

Parasite control is important to horse health and horse owners should feel highly concerned about the proper treatment of parasites. In the past 30 years, veterinary science has made important advances in treating parasites and provided new products and strategies to optimize treatment and prevention. However, horse owners and managers have been slow to adopt these new recommendations.

This study investigates why the transition has not occurred as expected. It examines issues related to the decision-making process of horse owners and managers as they relate to deworming strategies. In addition, it investigates current deworming approaches as well as attitudes towards …

Consumer Sensory Preferences And Willingness-To-Pay For Nutraceutical-Rich Fruit, Lydia Lawless

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Health-oriented juices are prime candidates for the nutraceutical market due to their inherent healthfulness and convenience. Fruits such as açaí berries, blueberries, blackberries, black cherries, Concord grapes, cranberries, and pomegranates are rich in potentially health-supporting polyphenolics, which makes the juices of these fruits attractive for nutraceutical optimization. The compositional, sensory, and stability properties of blueberry, blackberry, and Concord grape juice blends were explored in an extended shelf-life study. Initially, 100% blueberry juice had the highest total monomeric anthocyanins (67.40 mg/100mL), 100% blackberry juice had the highest total phenolics (249.24 mg/100mL), and 100% Concord juice had the highest polymeric color (23.21%). …

Willingness To Pay Estimation When Protest Beliefs Are Not Separable From The Public Good Definition, Kimberly Rollins, M.D.R. Evans, Mimako Kobayashi, Anita Castledine

Reports

Public good attributes that are correlated with protest beliefs but not separable from the good's value, would affect stated preference estimates of the WTP for the public good. Survey data collected to value a program to prevent ecosystem losses on Nevada rangelands, where the majority of land is publicly owned and managed, reveal more than half of the respondents exhibiting some protest belief. Of these, about 60% voted 'yes' to some nonzero bid amount. By treating protest beliefs and opposition to the proposed program as separate concepts, we systematically analyze their determinants and impacts on WTP. In this framework, people …

Ecology In A Cost-Benefit Society: The Issues, Valery E. Forbes, Peter Calow

Valery Forbes Publications

Is there a role for ecology in a cost-benefit society? As a prelude to a collection of papers arising from a conference on this theme held at Roskilde University in June 2004, this paper summarizes divergent approaches to public policy decision making. Whether based on strict cost-benefit analysis or wide-ranging discussion, we make the point that decisions need to be informed by an understanding of the causes behind environmental problems and their consequences, through impaired ecosystem services, on the economy. Taking this forward will require forums that bring ecologists, economists, and regulators into active and constructive dialogue.

Analysis Of Consumer Attitudes And Their Willingness To Pay For Functional Foods, Cate Nakaweesa Munene

LSU Master's Theses

Survey data collected from randomly selected participants within the four geographical regions of the U.S. were used to evaluate consumer attitudes towards functional foods and determine their willingness to pay for these foods. Contingent valuation using the payment card method was used to elicit premiums that consumers are willing to pay for a spread that maintains a healthy heart (spread A), a spread that is proven to significantly reduce cholesterol (spread B) and a loaf of bread that may reduce the risk of heart disease and certain cancers (bread A). Ordered probit regression analysis was used to evaluate the effect …

An Economic Analysis Of Homeowners' Preferences And Perceptions Regarding Termite Prevention And Control In Louisiana, Doleswar Bhandari

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis used a mail survey to collect data on homeowners' preferences and perceptions regarding termite prevention and control in four metropolitan areas of Louisiana (Monroe, Alexandria, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans). Respondents were asked to rank four different alternatives differing in cost, treatment choice, and number of inspections on termite control options. These ordered preference data were then analyzed using a contingent ranking method to determine the homeowner's choice for termite control. It was found that more than three-fourths (77%) of homeowners preferred to control termites and were willing to pay for it. In addition to contingent ranking, willingness …