V. James Rhodes

Vertical coordination in the US pork industry: Status, motivations, and expectations

In addition to horizontal consolidation at the input, production, and processing subsectors, the US pork industry is becoming more vertically aligned. The largest hog producers and pork processors were surveyed regarding their involvement in vertical coordination arrangements and their plans for future involvement in such programs. Motivation for entering these vertical agreements was examined as was the rate of adoption. Structural and regional implications of these results for the pork industry are discussed.

New Techniques in Consumer Preference Research

D URING the last few years all of us have witnessed an increased interest in expanding the demand for food and fiber. We have seen a rash of studies concerned with many aspects of merchandising, displaying, and packaging of products. There have been surveys of various types to obtain opinions of consumers and users of products and services. Some attempts to study consumer motivation have been made. Much of this work was stimulated by the surplus situation in some products and by the emphasis for research of this type in the RMA Act of 1946.

Marketing alternatives for agriculture in developed countries

Abstract Alternatives, some new and some in use in parts of US agriculture, are examined for their possible application. Electronic markets for spot commodities and perhaps for future delivery contracts offer improvements for open markets. Exclusive agency bargaining may be the model for farmers with neither open markets nor vertically-integrated cooperatives. Those farmers who seek control of much of the market channel need to consider tighter forms of cooperation and forward integration. Governmental assistance would be needed in implementing several of the above as well as in provision of Marketing Orders or Boards, mandatory price reporting, and the ensuring of more competition in agribusiness.