Exploring Potential Innovative Marketing Approaches for US Agribusinesses

DuBreuil, Katherine Michelle

Exploring Potential Innovative Marketing Approaches for US Agribusinesses

dc.contributor.author	DuBreuil, Katherine Michelle	en
dc.contributor.committeechair	Boys, Kathryn A.	en
dc.contributor.committeemember	White, William A.	en
dc.contributor.committeemember	Groover, Gordon E.	en
dc.contributor.committeemember	Taylor, Daniel B.	en
dc.contributor.department	Agricultural and Applied Economics	en
dc.date.accessioned	2013-07-23T08:00:08Z	en
dc.date.available	2013-07-23T08:00:08Z	en
dc.date.issued	2013-07-22	en
dc.description.abstract	Agribusinesses are multifaceted businesses that may be involved in all the phases of agricultural production, processing, manufacturing, distributing, and retailing. Although US agriculture is a multi-billion dollar industry, the majority of agribusinesses are considered small firms, having less than $250,000 in annual gross sales. This study investigates potential innovative marketing approaches for US agribusinesses, specifically for small farms and agribusinesses. One marketing approach involves an agritourism marketing tool based on an agricultural geocaching program, AgCache. The second proposed marketing approach explores the specialty crops marketing channel to institutional foodservice establishments. For AgCache, exploratory qualitative analysis was first conducted through a series of in-depth interviews with current AgCache site owners. This was followed by survey data collection and analysis using a probit model to assess the interest in hosting an AgCache. For the specialty crops marketing channel, a probit model was utilized in order to assess the barriers faced by small-scale specialty crop producers as well as their interests in selling to institutional foodservice establishments. Specific attention was paid to logistic and food safety marketing constraints. The results reveal that with adequate attention towards specified barriers, the two marketing approaches can be implemented by US agribusinesses. As well, there is also a strong interest by small farms and agribusinesses to implement these two marketing approaches. This study provides information valuable not only to small farms and agribusinesses, but also to rural communities\' economic development and stakeholders involved in the agricultural industry. Results will be of interest to those in, and seeking to support agribusinesses and small-scale farms.	en
dc.description.degree	Master of Science	en
dc.format.medium	ETD	en
dc.identifier.other	vt_gsexam:1334	en
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10919/23313	en
dc.publisher	Virginia Tech	en
dc.rights	In Copyright	en
dc.rights.uri	http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/	en
dc.subject	agribusiness	en
dc.subject	marketing	en
dc.subject	agritourism	en
dc.subject	specialty crops	en
dc.subject	United States	en
dc.title	Exploring Potential Innovative Marketing Approaches for US Agribusinesses	en
dc.type	Thesis	en
thesis.degree.discipline	Agricultural and Applied Economics	en
thesis.degree.grantor	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University	en
thesis.degree.level	masters	en
thesis.degree.name	Master of Science	en