Browsing by Author "Mainville, Denise Y."
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- A characterization of direct-market beef processing and marketing in VirginiaMainville, Denise Y.; Groover, Gordon E.; Waddle, Ashleigh Danielle; Webb, Bradley (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2005-11-13)Describes the processing and marketing practices used by direct-marketers of beef in Virginia, including producersï_’ slaughter and processing decisions, as well as key marketing practices such as product form, advertising, and pricing.
- A characterization of direct-marketed beef production in VirginiaMainville, Denise Y.; Groover, Gordon E.; Webb, Bradley; Waddle, Ashleigh Danielle (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2013-07-15)Describes the characteristics of producersï_’ farms and production techniques, including breeding and calving, pasture management, feeding and nutrition, finishing methods, and animal health care.
- Foundations for a Successful Farmers MarketMainville, Denise Y. (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2010-04-27)This publication addresses the administrative foundations that should be put in place to help promote the successful establishment and continuity of a farmers market. Includes numerous resources and sample bylaws and rules.
- Hispanic Consumers’ Preferences and Willingness-to-Pay for Grass-Fed Beef in VirginiaLuo, Jie (Virginia Tech, 2009-12-09)The primary objective of this dissertation is to determine Hispanic consumers’ preferences and willingness-to-pay (WTP) for grass-fed beef. Two hundred and thirty-one Hispanic consumers in four experiment sites in Virginia (Galax, Roanoke, Richmond, and Blacksburg) participated in an experimental economics laboratory procedure. Taste tests and visual evaluations were conducted to understand Hispanic consumers’ sensory preferences for grass-fed beef in comparison to conventional grain-fed beef. A contingent valuation method, Multiple Price Lists (MPL) was used to measure Hispanic consumers’ WTP for grass-fed beef. In the study, MPL was put into a non-hypothetical environment due to real products, real money, and actual transactions involved. A bivariate Probit model was estimated to determine Hispanic consumers’ visual and taste preferences for grass-fed beef and to explore the relationship between their expected and experienced quality of grass-fed beef. A two-step decision process examined Hispanic consumers’ WTP and investigated the factors influencing their valuations on grass-fed beef. Approximately 50% of Hispanic consumers sampled preferred grass-fed to conventional grain-fed beef steak and the vast majority of grass-fed preferring consumers were willing to pay a price premium for it. Hispanic consumers were able to distinguish the appearance and taste between grass-fed and conventional grain-fed beef steaks. A positive correlation between visual and taste preferences for grass-fed beef was captured.
- An Inventory of Beef Slaughter & Processing Facilities for Virginia Direct Marketers of BeefMainville, Denise Y.; Waddle, Ashleigh Danielle (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2009-05-26)An increasing number of producers in Virginia are seeking facilities where they can have their beef slaughtered and processed. This inventory provides information about the availability of beef slaughter and processing facilities to help meet this need.
- A Market Analysis for Berry Crops in VirginiaMonson, Joseph (Virginia Tech, 2008-04-29)This thesis analyzes the potential for producers in Virginia to successfully participate in the market for berry crops, which include strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and other novelty berries. A survey of current berry crop producers in Virginia is used to gain insight into the supply-side of the market, and a series of personal interviews with direct market berry crop producers and buyers from retail, wholesale, and processor outlets are conducted to assess the demand-side of the market. The results show that berry crop producers in the state are diverse along many dimensions, with certain groups better positioned to serve the unsaturated demand that exists through direct outlets and others better aligned to serve the increasing demand that exists among indirect buyers. Diversification into berry crop production involves high levels of risk, but the potential returns are likewise high.
- A Market Analysis for Specialty Beef in VirginiaWaddle, Ashleigh Danielle (Virginia Tech, 2009-05-01)Virginia beef producers have been overwhelmed with increasing costs and decreasing profits as well as facing challenges such as development pressures, drought, increasing competition for grazing land. Together these have reduced opportunities for expansion and often increased incentives for farmers to sell land for non-agriculture use. Nevertheless, opportunities exist for the Virginia beef market. Consumer demand is changing and consumers are seeking food from alternative production systems based on attributes related to human health, environment, animal welfare, and other social concerns. Consumers are also interested in increasing their consumption of locally produced foods. Specialty beef such as natural, organic, and pasture-fed addresses the changing consumer demand and provides alternatives to commodity beef production. This thesis analyzes the potential for and the constraints to specialty beef producers in Virginia to sell their beef through alternative market outlets such as large retail outlets, specialty stores, restaurants, or direct to consumers. The study will research the potential demand for specialty beef through alternative market outlets, the market entry requirements to supply specialty beef to these alternative outlets, and the potential for Virginia's specialty beef producers to serve as suppliers to these alternative outlets. A survey is used to evaluate these alternative markets and determine if they present an opportunity for Virginia producers of specialty beef. The results of this study will evaluate the viability of selling and buying between producer and retailer and offer valuable information and recommendations to Virginia specialty beef producers about the potential and requirements in each of these markets.
- Organic Feed-grain Markets: Considerations for Potential Virginia ProducersMainville, Denise Y.; Farrell, Megan; Groover, Gordon E.; Mundy, Karen (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2009-05-01)This publication is intended to help producers make informed decisions on whether to enter organic feed-grain markets by giving an overview of the market for organically produced feed grains, and issues for producers to contemplate as they consider entering the market.
- Organic Milk: Consumers and their purchasing patternsMcKnight, Hannah Jane (Virginia Tech, 2007-06-04)This study was designed to characterize consumer purchases of organic milk by differentiating consumers based on buying behavior and then evaluating what personal and household characteristics were most prominent in each group. Cluster analysis was used to differentiate four groups of consumers based on their total volume of milk purchases, percentage of organic milk purchases, and frequency of milk purchases. The clusters were then characterized based on household size, household income, age of children, race, Hispanic origin, and head of household's age, education, occupation, and gender. Regression analysis then estimated the effects of the socio-demographic variables on cluster membership. Results were consistent with existing literature. Those who purchased the most organic milk were females with a small household, families consisting of one or two members, or larger families, usually four. These two groups of consumers differentiated themselves from one another and from the other two clusters that purchased less organic milk with larger families purchasing more milk, but a smaller percentage of organic milk purchases. The results of identifying consumers based on their milk buying behavior can be used by marketers and educators to target individuals, based on group membership, for planning and guiding education and advertising campaigns and programs.
- Preparing for an Agritourism Event: A ChecklistMainville, Denise Y.; Mundy, Karen (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2005-09-01)This factsheet provides a checklist for agritourism firms to use to ensure that key aspects of preparation for the event are addressed. The publication is intended to help an existing operation host a special event - it is not intended as a resource for starting an agritourism business.
- The Price Impacts on the Canned Peach Industry by the Federal Commodity Procurement ProgramSceiford, Amanda (Virginia Tech, 2009-07-28)This thesis analyzes the effects on the price impacts of the Commodity Procurement Program when canned peaches are purchased. The main objective is to assess the effects of canned peaches purchases on the farm-level price of canning peaches. Interviews of the industries that participate in the Commodity Procurement Program are used to understand how the industry interacts with commodity procurements and to evaluate if the industry feels that commodity procurements have a significant effect on procured fruits' and vegetables' prices to help better judge the overall effectiveness of the commodity procurement program. A theoretical model of the Commodity Procurement Program's effects on the vertically related markets is constructed. Data are collected for the processor-level and farm-level peach markets. The results provide evidence that the quantity demanded of commodity procurements for canned peaches has a statistically significant negative effect on both the partial and final processor-level price. Also the results indicate that the quantity demanded of commodity procurements for canned peaches does not have a statistically significant effect on the final farm-level price. The results from the Breusch-Pagan tests for the processor-level partial reduced form price equation, the processor-level final reduced form price equation and the farm-level final reduced form price equation indicate that there is no significant evidence that the quantity demanded of commodity procurements stabilizes or destabilizes the farm-level or processor-level price.
- Quality Incentives and the Development of High-value Agrifood Markets: Ecuador's Cacao Marketing ChainJano, Pilar Alejandra (Virginia Tech, 2007-05-02)This thesis explores constraints to the development of markets for high quality cacao in Ecuador. It focuses on the role of market level constraints, particularly the transmission of quality incentives along the marketing chain and their effects on farmers' incentives to invest in quality production. Chapter 1 introduces the reader to the problem, demonstrating that Ecuadorian farmers are not responding to international incentives to produce high quality cacao, and outlines the objectives, hypotheses, and structure of the thesis. Chapter 2 provides background to the market, detailing Ecuador's role in world commodity and high-value cacao markets and gives a detailed description of the cacao market in Ecuador. Chapter 3 uses a subsector analysis to develop and test hypotheses that specific market level constraints, such as transaction costs, market power, and institutional constraints, impede the transmission of incentives to produce quality to farmers. The subsector analysis failed to support the hypotheses that intermediaries are able to exert market power but found that transaction costs and weak institutions presented significant constraints to the transmission of quality incentives. Chapter 4 examines the determinants of farmers' market channel choice and the prices that they receive. In addition to determinants that are commonly found in the literature, such as the characteristics of the transaction and farmer's characteristics, hypotheses testing of quality incentives makes a unique contribution. Analysis of survey data of Ecuadorian farmers found minimal transmission of quality incentives to farmers—only the cultivar Nacional as a quality indicator was found to affect the farmers' market channel choice out of six indicators selected to represent quality. The quality indicators selected were pre- and post-harvest practices, variety, having received technical assistance, credit, belonging to a cacao association, and discounts at sale by the buyer. Also, pre- and post-harvest practices, having received credit, and belonging to a cacao association out of similar quality indicators were found to affect the price paid to the farmer. Finally, Chapter 5 summarizes the main points discovered through the research, discusses policy implications, and proposes further research needs.
- Supermarkets as Alternative Market Outlets for Virginia-Grown BerriesMonson, Joseph; Mainville, Denise Y. (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2010-01-18)This publication assesses the potential demand for berry crops among supermarkets in Virginia and examines the requirements producers must adhere to in order to successfully sell to supermarkets.
- Survey Determines Consumer Demand for a Local Farmers MarketAtwell, James (Virginia Tech, 2010-05)Regional and local farmer’s markets have sprung up across the Commonwealth of Virginia. To the dismay of many, farmer’s markets fail to remain open for much longer than one season. Several reasons can contribute to this including inadequate demand, too few vendors, and poor product selection; just to name a few. A survey was conducted for the town of Wytheville residents to determine their preferences and objectives for their local farmer’s market. In 2009, a 20 question survey was developed and mailed to 1,017 town residents to gather information about the existing farmer’s market and to guide future direction for the development of a more permanent farmer’s market. Two hundred and eighty‐three surveys were returned, all containing usable data. Respondents indicated a strong desire to have a local farmer’s market and felt that local residents benefitted from having one conveniently located within or near to the town of Wytheville. Products they desired were identified and demographic data were collected. Preferences for operational days and hours were clearly evident as well as general location recommendations. The Farmer’s Market Focus Group, the local Chamber of Commerce, and local extension service personnel can use the information from the survey to locate and facilitate a local farmer’s market that will be more likely to be successful and sustainable.
- Using the Internet for Direct MarketingMainville, Denise Y.; Sterrett, Susan B.; Mundy, Karen (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2009-05-01)This publication presents information about how to build Web pages to enhance your direct marketing business performance. It addresses issues about what to put on your website, how to design and construct the website, launching and promoting the site, and evaluating its effectiveness. It also discusses alternatives to having a business website.