Kynda Curtis

Consumer Preferences and Willingness to Pay for Bundled Fresh Produce Claims at Farmers’ Markets

ABSTRACT This study uses a conditional logit with systematically varying parameters model to analyze consumer survey data collected at farmers’ markets in Utah. The purpose of this study is to examine consumption preferences and willingness to pay for differentiated fresh produce among farmers’ market shoppers in Utah. Three primary differentiating claims, namely conventionally grown of unknown origin, conventionally grown local (in-state), and organically grown of unknown origin, are investigated. Results indicate that consumer preferences and willingness to pay are higher for the conventionally grown local origin claim, emphasizing the importance of local origin labeling for directed marketed fresh produce. This claim was especially preferred among frequent farmers’ market shoppers and those who spend above average. Those who receive WIC and/or food stamp benefits show lower preferences for fresh produce. The shoppers are significantly sensitive to price increases. This study implies that marketing strategies and policy regulations aiming at promoting local, organic, labeling, and reinforcing repeated farmers’ market customers can positively impact purchasing preferences and willingness to pay for production-method-based and origin labeled products.

Consumer Willingness to Pay for Local Designations: Brand Effects and Heterogeneity at the Retail Level

This study examines consumer willingness to pay (WTP) for packaged ice cream with local, private label, and national brands at the retail level. Data were collected through in-person surveys conducted at retail grocery outlets in Utah in 2012. Study results suggest that shoppers are willing to pay significantly more for the national and local brands over the retailer’s private label brand. In fact, the local brand with the state-sponsored designation (Utah’s Own) had a WTP equal to that of the national brand. The use of local designations or labels is important as shoppers were not willing to pay a premium for the local brands in absence of the locally produced or state-sponsored designation label. Additionally, consumer WTP for different brands and the degree of response to local designations varies substantially by consumer attributes. These differences suggest that locally designated products do not compete directly with private label products in the market. This study provides clear evidence of the value of state-sponsored designations, as well as locally produced labeling for food products marketed in a traditional retail setting.

Economic Feasibility of Wine Grape Production in the Arid US: A Northwest Nevada Example

As competition for water resources increases and water availability in arid regions declines, agricultural producers are encouraged to adopt water-conserving strategies. This study examines the economic feasibility of implementing wine grapes in northwest Nevada as a diversification and water conservation strategy. Results show profit potential when vitis interspecific wine grape varieties are produced in the region. Net returns based upon point estimates from two separate analyses show per-acre net returns at

Drink Tourism: A Profile of the Intoxicated Traveler

1,065 and

Consumer preferences for western-style convenience foods in China

3,022, respectively. However, the large variation in potential net returns shown in the risk analysis, combined with a high capital investment cost of more than

Direct Marketing Local Food to Chefs: Chef Preferences and Perceived Obstacles

17,000 per acre, may preclude producers from exercising their option to adopt wine grape production. Also, including wine grapes in the on-farm crop portfolio will affect its risk and return characteristics, likely impacting producer preferred level of wine grape adoption. (JEL Classification: Q11, Q15, Q25, Q54)

Genetically Modified Food Market Participation and Consumer Risk Perceptions: A Cross‐Country Comparison

Food and drink tourism has long been regarded as an important component of the tourism experience, where food and drink consumption provides the local cultural or authentic experience the tourist seeks. However, food and drink tourism has now transformed from an important component of the travel experience into the primary reason for destination selection. While local food and drink has often been used to develop rural tourism and secure the associated positive impacts to rural economic development, food and drink tourism has been under-researched. Previous studies have primarily focused on wine, used qualitative measures, and have examined tourist psychographic variables on a limited basis. Hence, this study examines the demand for drink tourism in the US Intermountain West through 700 in-person tourist surveys conducted at key tourism destinations (ski resorts, airports, national and state parks, and tourist information centers) bordering Utah, Nevada, Idaho, and Colorado in 2013 and 2014. Through cluster analysis, respondents are grouped into three sets (non-drink tourists, moderate-drink tourists, and high-drink tourists) and then the respondent demographic characteristics and interests, including travel-related preferences of each group, are compared.