J. Richard Bacon

Consumer Perceptions of Aquaculture Products

The consumption of seafood products, including aquacultural products, significantly increased during the 1970s and 1980s. However, during the late 1980s and early 1990s, per capita seafood consumption declined. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that current per capita consumption of seafood products is estimated at around 14.9 pounds, down from a peak of 16.1 pounds in 1987 (USDA). Uncertainty in the seafood supply has contributed to retail seafood prices rising faster than prices for other meat products (Harvey). To reduce the fluctuation in retail seafood prices, there is a need to stabilize production and offer consistency in supplies. However, consistency in the seafood supply can be expected to come primarily from aquaculture because of the problems of overutilization of natural or wild stocks (United Nations). Proponents of aquaculture are advocating its commercial expansion. However, several problems must be resolved before aquacultures potential can be achieved. The first problem lies in the biological potential of a species to survive in an aquaculture environment. The second factor deals with the consumers willingness to buy aquaculture products. The stiff competition offered by the beef, pork, poultry, and wild fisheries industries requires the aquaculture industry to use effective marketing strategies. This study focuses on the second issue raised regar ing the willingness of consumers to purchase products obtained from either the wild fishery or aquaculture. In particular, it deals with consumer preferences for fresh finfish and shellfish products purchased for home preparation and consumption in northeastern and MidAtlantic households.

Consumer Choice for Fresh Fish: Factors Affecting Purchase Decisions

A consumer survey of the northeastern United States was conducted to gather market information regarding the decision to purchase fresh hybrid striped bass, trout and salmon. Logit techniques were used to model the experience, perceptions, preferences, and choices of consumers for seafood products based on a modified evoked set framework. Factors such as knowledge that the products are farm-raised, having previous experience with purchasing seafood along with the perception that seafood is healthful with good taste were found to significantly influence the consumers decision to purchase these finfish products. The results of this study and the techniques used allow market researchers to objectively quantify the impact of experience, perceptions, and preferences of products on the ultimate decision of the consumer to purchase fresh hybrid striped bass, trout and salmon products.

Pesticide residue concerns and shopping location likelihood

Pesticide residues are one component of the larger food safety issue. Levels of pesticide residue concern are increased by concerns not only with perceived risks associated with conventional produce, but also with issues such as safety, nutritional value, environmental effects, and need for increased societal control of the food supply. Concern for pesticide residues and importance of healthfulness in the food purchase decision resulted in increases in the probability that consumers would shop at a supermarket that offered pesticide-residue free produce, even at higher prices. However, price had a significantly negative effect on the probability and price is usually a sensitive issue with most supermarkets. ©1994 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Simulating the economic viability of crawfish production: A two‐stage modeling approach

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine if raising eastern white river crawfish (Procambarus acutus acutus) in the Mid‐Atlantic region year‐round is economically feasible. The possibility for economic success, or even survival, was examined with the use of a two‐stage dynamic‐stochastic simulation modeling framework. Six simulation models were specified in ProModel 4.0 to mimic crawfish farms with different components. Information collected from the ProModel experiments were then used in @Risk, a Microsoft Excel add‐in, in order to determine the economic viability of crawfish farms using capital budgeting methods. Results suggest that crawfish farming in the Mid‐Atlantic region can be feasible assuming optimal farm size and production conditions are attained along with adequate consumer demand.

A CONJOINT ANALYSIS OF PAPER DEMAND BY COMMERCIAL GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

Conjoint analysis was used to evaluate the preferences of graphic designers toward kenaf paper. Results indicate that price is of overwhelming importance to designers in their purchasing decisions regarding paper stock. If priced competitively with existing wood and recycled papers, kenaf products should gain market share among designers.