Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Members mailing addresses were updated. In connection with research projects, the participants exchanged their views and updates on current funding opportunities with respect to USDA, USAID and the Federal and State Marketing Improvement Program (FSMIP). Senior members of the committee, those who have received funds from the respective organizations shared their experiences in preparing successful proposals. Calls for papers for the next WERA-72 meeting by the committee chairman will be out sometime in the spring. The committee members discussed collaborating with another organization (possibly an AAEA section) for a session during the 2007 AAEA meeting in Portland. Participants discussed collaboration on the upcoming articles that will appear in Choices. The committee members also had a discussion about elements of reviews of articles submitted to Choices journal. These articles are scheduled to appear in the late 2006 edition of Choices. The committee planned to pursue a collaborative proposal and funding opportunities through USDA/CSREES for organics. Finally all the participants presented 2006 research and outreach activities for each state.

Objective 1: To assess the evolution of Supply-Chain Management in the fruit and vegetable sector and identify strategic organizational and marketing implications for diverse firms and specific commodity sub-sectors. Supply Chain Management Activities The fresh produce sector in the United States continues to grow. As in all sectors of agriculture, markets for these products are increasingly complex. Unlike many agricultural sectors, fresh produce markets often involve much higher risks, with the potential for correspondingly higher rewards. Innovations in distribution and technology, retailer and wholesaler consolidation, the changing legal environment, international policy changes, food safety issues, and health concerns create new challenges and new opportunities in a sector where per acre cost of production is already high and traditional government safety-nets do not exist. The fresh produce market has experienced significant changes, driven in large part by increased consumer demand and sophistication and by corresponding adaptations to streamlined supply-chains. These changes have been accompanied by consolidation of retailers, an expansion of product offerings, movement towards year-round supply, increases in imports, and shifts in marketing efforts. In 1997, fresh fruit and vegetables with a value of $71 billion were sold to U.S. consumers. Since then, in response to the growing demand for specialized and value-added products, traditional outlets, requiring large-volumes and year-round supplies, are beginning to bypass traditional wholesalers altogether and increase volume of direct purchases. Thus, the dollars moving through specialized produce wholesalers have increased significantly but there has been a decline in the share of sales to food retailers (and increase in the share of foodservice) over the same time period by the traditional wholesalers. Mass merchandise and warehouse club stores are rapidly expanding and capturing a significant percentage of retail food sales. Large supermarket retailers continue to strive for lower labor and capital costs, product differentiation, and improved consumer services in order to remain profitable in this increasingly competitive environment. As a result, there has been a trend toward consolidation of large retailers and distributors to reduce costs and streamline and improve supply-chain management practices. Innovations in procurement and distribution of produce such as inventory mechanization, direct delivery by suppliers, use of specialty wholesalers, and fixed contracts with suppliers help to reduce costs and increase efficiencies. A study in the Colorado area under an ongoing USDA NRI Small and Midsized Farms Competitiveness grant involves an examination of where consumers make their fresh produce purchases and what factors influence that choice. The study uses a national consumer survey dataset. Emphasis is on the point of purchase, as well as the sources of information that consumers use in making food and nutrition choices. The project will continue to explore the supply chain issues challenging the growth and sustainability of the organics sector. At Indiana State, two studies have been conducted under the S1019 project. A mail survey was conducted in February 2006 to assess attitudes towards a State Sponsored-Branding program being developed to assist Indiana produce growers. Measures of willingness-to-pay were queried and analyzed. The results have been analyzed and a written report is being prepared. A second survey was also conducted to gather information on direct marketing practices of Indiana Fruit Growers. The mail survey, sent out from the Indiana Agriculture Statistics Service, gathered information on number of fruit operations, acreage per fruit type, gross sales, marketing channels used, direct sale trends, etc. Data has been analyzed and a written report is also being prepared on this project. A Kentucky study of which took a national look at produce intermediaries that handle organic produce was initiated to examine trends and outlook in procurement practices and business-to-business interactions. A sample of firms was selected from the Red Book Credit Services. The study illuminated many of the specific business trends and transactions costs in the rapidly changing organic sector. The study documents expectations by these intermediaries with respect to the growth in organic SKUs, the concentration of organic suppliers, contracting for organic produce, and a comparison of the importance of various supply chain issues for organic versus conventional sources of supply. A regional study of wineries and vineyards was completed for the Mid-South U.S., specifically seeking to document procurement strategies and the price outlook for these wineries. The number of wineries in this region has exploded in the last 10 years and the outlook from the wine makers indicate that further expansion is likely. The study examines the business-to-business interactions between wineries and the growers which supply them with raw products. The issues surrounding contracting, the limited use of the spot market, and the extent of information exchange between wineries and growers are examined. Also included in the study are projections on production, expansion intentions, and demand for various grape varieties. Another study, from Louisiana, evaluated the impacts of concentration of intermediaries on small and midsized produce wholesalers. Specifically, a case study format from Louisiana was used as a survey instrument pretest and to develop a preliminary information base. Three wholesalers and one distributor responded in personal interviews to questions on supply chain technology use, firm characteristics, and competitive strategies. All firms felt that their most fruitful approach was differentiation through service level and product selection. A Michigan State project examines major changes such as retail consolidation, technological changes in production and marketing, and growing consumer demand for quality and variety have altered the wholesale system and the role wholesalers play in the produce supply chain. The fresh produce wholesale sector is an intermediate stage in the supply chain comprised of business operations which in general do not transform a specific fresh product, but rather provide services related to the sale of this product. This project of Michigan State is designed to present a general overview of current trade practices wholesalers utilize to adapt to these changes and to document future trends and the role of wholesalers in the fresh produce distribution system in the U.S. Three of the areas where wholesalers have had to significantly adapt to new market structures are requirements for certification, business model, trade practices. A NRI ethnic consumer study from New Jersey focuses primarily on examination of the ethnic produce market in the east coast of United States, from Maine to Florida. Now selected states will conduct pilot ethnic production programs according to the factors which the study identified as relevant to production and sale of ethnic fruits and vegetables in the East. In the original ethnic sturdy, consumer telephone surveys were conducted between April and May, 2005 ensure an adequate response rate and to obtain a statistically significant randomized sample. Appropriate sample sizes for each ethnicity were identified based on 2000 Census populations for Chinese, Asian Indians, Mexicans and Puerto Ricans in the 16 East Coast states and Washington D.C. (specifically CT, DE, FL, GA, ME, MD, MA, NH, NJ, NY, NC, PA, RI, SC, VT, VA, and D.C.) Sample sizes of 271 surveys for each of the four ethnic groups were statistically determined (to achieve a desired 90% Confidence Interval w/ 5% margin of error) for a total of 1,084 surveys of ethnic produce consumers. Further sample size requirements were established, based upon ethnic group by state, in accordance with a stratified random sampling method (i.e. stratified random sampling was used where the sample is selected such that the Asian groups of interest are represented in the same proportion as they occur in the population, per Census 2000). Statistical analysis was conducted during June, 2006 and the report will be ready by mid 2007. All ethnic produce items which were the subjects of the surveys were ranked. The information has now been transferred to New Jersey, Massachusetts and Florida to allow these states to conduct pilot production to demonstrate application of the results for selected produce items, for four selected ethnic groups. The general purpose of this study is to explore the opportunities available for local farmers in the eastern region to grow and supply ethnic crops for which market demand had been identified. A Pennsylvania researcher worked with a group of 12 farmers from Ukraine, the Kiev Fruit and Vegetable Farmers (KFVF), to determine potential markets for fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as opportunities for value-added products. The researcher conducted two training sessions where participants learned basic marketing strategies and viewed examples of products, packaging, and promotions used by small-scale growers in the U.S. The researcher also visited growers on their farms and discussed their individual marketing problems, interests, and potential opportunities. To gain a perspective on how fresh fruits and vegetables, processed produce, and frozen produce is marketed and purchased, researcher visited several open-air markets, supermarkets, and club stores in Kiev and Bila Tserkva. During the visits researcher observed consumers shopping, documented retail prices and product offering, and used the information to help the growers understand what product categories are saturated with goods and where potential still exists. Potential Impact of Supply Chain Management activities The national consumer surveying in the Indiana projects is important in that it provides producers who are involved in direct marketing with information about the characteristics of their potential consumers that may be important to developing effective marketing strategies. The more specific work on organic supply chains may help inform policy and marketing decisions in the organics industry, but its most immediate impact is to raise the profile of the industry and motivate additional allocation of Land Grant human and research resources directed at organic research questions. Both Indiana projects will help to establish a baseline of information for the state's produce growers. The direct sales study provides useful information about the structure of the industry including the number of fruit operations that participate in Farmers' Markets, Roadside Stands, etc. This information also helps to establish trends for direct sale marketing techniques. To our knowledge, this information has not been previously collected for Indiana. Information on willingness to pay for locally branded produce was collected at a time that the Indiana State Department of Agriculture program was just forming. This study examined growers' attitudes toward a state branding program such as New Jersey Fresh or Ohio Proud. The majority of respondents were small growers (annual sales < $50,000) that sold directly to the consumer. Small growers were neutral and did not see the benefits of such a program, as described in the survey scenarios. Medium and larger growers expressed a more favorable response. All growers could possibly benefit from the implementation of such a program. The organic supply chain study in Kentucky is providing important documentation on the dynamics of change within this subset of the produce supply system. The study was presented at the American Agricultural Economics Association annual meeting and is being distributed to various trade association groups. The winery study was published in Wine East magazine and posted on the New Crop Opportunities web page. The study opens the door for further examination of contracting behaviors, market efficiency, and strategies for differentiation for smaller Mid-south wineries. The Louisiana State study illustrates the benefits of research on the wholesale produce industry demonstrating that certain practices work to the advantage of small enterprises, whether in the marketing chain or whether growers. Almost all Louisiana marketers and growers are small when compared to industry leaders. With this information, the industry there can structure its selling arrangements to reduce exposure to risks. The Michigan project underscored that changes in fresh produce supply chain distribution and management have created new forms of commercial relationships between suppliers and wholesalers. In many cases these changes represent valuable opportunities for business, in addition to the demand for additional marketing services from suppliers. The New Jersey ethnic study will provide information to local farmers which will allow them to better utilize the opportunities offered by growing diversified ethnic produce items to increase the profitability of the farm. Local farmers can supply these produce items most freshly to the consumers and save substantial transportation costs meeting the higher demand with lower prices. In the study by the Pennsylvania researcher, conversations with farmers and an analysis of all markets that were visited, showed that consumers in Ukraine expect certain fruits and vegetables to be available year-round, while others are welcomed seasonally. Therefore, the availability of a storage facility may very well benefit the farmers when selling to open-air-markets. Farmers who can begin exploring other outlets for their produce, such as the growing number of supermarkets and restaurants, and who can supply produce at times other than harvest will have an advantage over their competitors. Exploring the value-added market, primarily the frozen food category, indicates that prices for frozen fruit (strawberries, cherries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, and mixes of fruit) are too expensive for the average Ukrainian, with brands being imported mainly from Poland. Objective 2: To analyze the relative costs and competitiveness of fruit and vegetable sub-sectors, either regionally, nationally, and/or globally, using new and established analytical paradigms which incorporate theories from business schools and other fields. Competitiveness Profitability and farm viability has been particularly challenging for many growers competing in this era of super centers and warehouse retailers, with these firms striving to cut costs starting at the farm-gate. In the 21st century, success in commercial production and sales for small farmers and retail firms alike will likely depend on their ability to focus on high value, specialty crops targeted at specific niche markets. Small farmers and retailers of fresh produce will need to become adept at identifying such market niche opportunities and successfully differentiating their products. This will enable them to achieve market penetration and increase share (without the substantial costs typically required to dominate the market), uniquely position their products in the eyes of the consumer, optimize product mix, and establish early brand loyalty (either by private labeling or early-to-market efforts) to ensure their economic survival. The role of mandated marketing programs as a tool to enhance the competitiveness for California commodities was examined. Through the USDA NRI Small and Midsized Farms grant, initial work on comparative cash flow budgets for organic and conventional produce crops has begun in the Colorado study referenced above. In the state of Louisiana, individual enterprise budgets to estimate costs of production of vegetable crops were prepared for thirty seven combinations of crop, market channel and machinery size. For most crop combinations, net returns were less than $1,000. The enterprise budgets for selected orchard crops were created using the current version of the Mississippi State Budget Generator. Specifically, enterprise budgets for citrus (navel orange and satsuma) and mayhaw (mayhaw juice can be blended with other juices and for jellies, but is not consumed fresh) were completed. Production practices, machinery and operating inputs and input prices were updated. For both citrus and mayhaw, an 8 to 10 year time frame is needed to recover the investment and costs of non-producing years. A pecan budget is being developed for a 40 acre orchard size, using a procedure similar to that used for citrus and mayhaw. Multi-state cooperation on preparing and sharing such budgets continues in Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee and Arkansas continues, providing a common base of input files to assist with assessment of regional competitiveness. Previous Michigan State work on fruit and vegetable supply chains in Poland was extended to other Central and Eastern European markets (Serbia, Ukraine). The scope of the existing project was also expanded to examine impacts of tariff policies on trade flows. A second Michigan project considered the extent to which those same European fresh produce markets respond to price changes in related markets. Spatial price relationships are of particular relevance to farmers in designing market strategies. A new study analyzed spatial wholesale price relationships for fresh U.S. peaches using vector autoregressive analysis on weekly prices from the primary wholesale markets. Primary objectives of the study were: (1) to determine the degree of market segmentation as well as the direction and magnitude of market integration among regions, and (2) to evaluate the sensitivity of U.S. fresh peach wholesale markets to individual shocks. The New Jersey projects concentrated on local fresh fruits and vegetables made available to the Jersey consumers at a lower price than the same produce brought from out-of-state. The New Jersey "Jersey Fresh" and ethnic produce market studies identified consumer market segments that are most likely to buy these products. As noted under Objective 1, a new NRI project was started on ethnic consumers produce during 2005. This study mainly focuses to document the ethnic produce market in east-coast of United States. And sample states will conduct pilot ethnic production according to the selected ethnic fruits and vegetables identified in the survey. Potential Impact of Competitiveness The California research has resulted in new programs by innovative California producer funded marketing organizations to maintain and expand demand for the producers products. These programs include 1) programs based on health and nutrition research to document the contributions of California commodities to consumer well-being, 2) food safety and inspection programs to prevent loss of consumer confidence in the California products, and 3) market information programs accessible on-line to all market participants to help better match supply to demand in time and space. A better understanding of the differential cash returns for organic produce in Colorado will be useful to producers there in their production planning and market pricing. The chief risk or dynamic of selling fresh products is perishability. Knowledge of variable and fixed costs of production enables growers to make informed decisions regarding minimum prices. The Louisiana/southern enterprise budget creation is providing guidance in developing that benchmark. Within the business community, lenders need regular updates about production costs to make decisions on loan applications. Government service providers, industries that support agriculture, Extension specialists, and others are also interested in production costs and resource requirements. For marketing, growers need additional information about the market size and characteristics and preferences of consumers, and these projects are geared to provide meaningful information. Impacts of the expanded Michigan work include 1) increased awareness and understanding of Eastern European markets among Michigan produce industries; 2) information and contacts that led at least two large Michigan agribusiness firms to begin exploring cross-country alliances that may result in increased fruit exports and/or fruit production; 3) an on-going relationship with researchers in Central and Eastern Europe to provide continued marketing information to Michigan over time. Further impacts include 1) recognition of a potential need for a decrease in EU tariffs on products of interest; 2) identification of inconsistency in US Harmonization System HS codes; 3) comparison of tariff and trade flow data from multiple sites to facilitates. Objective 3: Develop demand models for the produce sector that can be used to evaluate trade, commodity marketing programs, labeling programs, traceability systems, and structural changes in the U.S. produce markets. Demand Models The average national per capita consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables has risen at a significant rate, up a total of 15% between 1987 and 2000 (going from 283 lbs. in 1987 to 326 lbs. in 2000). Moreover, since 1987, the variety of fresh produce items offered by retailers has at least doubled (173 items in 1987 to 345 items in 1997) and branded items share of produce sales has more than doubled (seven percent in 1987 to 19% in 1997). Fresh-cut and packaged salad sales have risen even more substantially (one percent in 1987 to 15% in 1997). These growth trends reflect increasing consumer demand for variety, quality, and convenience. There has also been an approximately three-fold increase in the share of sales by produce wholesalers to the foodservice sector over the same time period (eight percent in 1987 to 21% in 1997), reflecting the rise in food dollars spent in the foodservice/restaurant sector (with spending now approaching half of U.S. consumers' total food dollars). This rising proportion of foodservice/restaurant sales is another reflection of consumer desire for convenience and value-added products. The California study model of f.o.b. avocado demand was designed and used to evaluate the impacts of imports and industry promotion programs. A second model of retail pricing was used to evaluate the impact of avocado promotion in specific retail markets. The USDA NRI Small and Midsized Farms research project of Colorado included a national consumer survey with questions that will help identify most advantageous consumer segments to target for organic, local and nutritionally superior produce, willingness to pay for such produce, as well as choice sets that will reinforce the value consumers place on different attributes and certifications. A Georgia-based study addressed several important issues regarding consumer demand for fresh organic produce in the United States in recent years using scanner data. It consists of three parts discussed in more detail below: 1) organic produce consumption, 2) the interrelationship between organic and conventional produce demand, and 3) organic price premiums paid by U.S. households. The results of this research have implications for organic retailers in formulating organic produce marketing strategies and implications for organic producers in making production decisions. More specifically, the first part of the study is intended to identify important consumer demographic characteristics related to the growth of the fresh organic produce market using a generalized double hurdle model. Natural log transformed consumption data were used to deal with the non-normality problem usually associated with such data. Market participation and conditional/unconditional consumption elasticities were computed for the generalized double hurdle model. The second part of the Georgia study provides an overview of the organic fresh vegetable market by investigating market shares and price premiums for selected organic fresh vegetables and estimating the interrelationship between consumer demand for organic and conventional fresh vegetables. Of the alternative demand models, the linear Almost Ideal Demand System was found to best fit the data. Expenditure, own, and cross price elasticities were computed for both organic and conventional vegetables based on this model. Using multivariate regression on data for prices with respect to produce characteristics, buyer demographics, and interactions, the third part of the Georgia study investigates price premiums paid by U.S. consumers for selected organic produce and identifies factors explaining variation in such organic price premiums. The econometric problem, with each buyer having multiple records in the purchase data, is addressed in the model. A study on the changing structure of the fresh fruit and vegetable supply chain is in progress. The overall purpose of this study is to determine whether produce wholesalers and brokers have been adversely impacted by the increase in mass merchandisers and retailers in the food industry. Specific objectives are to 1) Determine whether there is evidence of deterioration in the profitability and leverage ratios of wholesalers and brokers in the past 20 years,; and 2) Determine the extent of consolidation and change in concentration over time as possible signals of adversity by produce market intermediaries. A survey of Kentucky restaurants examined produce procurement practices with a special emphasis on demand for locally grown produce. The survey documented strong demand for local produce for local produce for local produce among restaurant produce buyers. Participation in "Restaurant Rewards," a merchandising support program managed by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, was very limited, however, largely due to lack of program promotion. There is continued work on the analysis of intra-regional price relations in the northeastern America potato production region, including Maine and Canadian Maritime Provinces. The primary objective is to assess the impact of changes in production in the region on the farm prices. Work focuses on building an up-to-date database on potato production, prices, and product flows, and on developing price linkage models. A New Jersey fresh produce study investigated the response of consumers in that state to a survey question on their willingness to purchase local food over imported food. Respondents were specifically asked if the threat of terrorism increased their preference for locally grown food defined as fresh fruits and vegetables marketed under the state-sponsored Jersey Fresh label. Thirty-three percent of respondents indicated that the threat of agro-terrorism has caused them to think locally when it comes to their produce purchases. The results of a Logistic regression showed that there are some specific attributes common to those who show such a preference. Although empirical and theoretical investigations into consumer behaviors in the face of current terrorism risks are in their infancy, this paper provides some needed insight into such problems and the results are easily replicable. Another research report of New Jersey investigates the relationships between country of origin labeling (COOL) issues and consumers concern about safety and health towards using of foreign produce. Results show that those who were married, self employed, had higher incomes, or possessed more education were more likely to support COOL. A consumer survey showed that about 84% of respondents overall, and more specifically, about 84% of female and 83% of male respondents would like markets to provide information about country of origin of fresh produce. The result also shows that about 73% of respondents regularly read food advertisements in newspapers and grocery brochures. Planned Work As discussed in the 2006 meeting, members are applying for a USDA NRI grant under the Integrated Organic Program. A sub group of members has already started working towards drafting the proposal. This grant is due on December 18, 2006. In addition, members wanted to share their experiences from various fruit and vegetable project executions, as well as knowledge of markets, consumer trends and technical know-how. All of the state project researchers, and implementers continue to work together with mutual cooperation to provide solutions to their similar problems in agricultural produce research. Members also discussed various possibilities and opportunities for new funding from national and international agencies. Once again, all the committee members proposed to participate in symposia in the AAEA conferences in upcoming years. Dr. Govindasamy, the chairmen of the committee, discussed the status of upcoming papers contributed by S 1019 members. During 2006, six papers from members were selected by reviewers of Choices magazine. All articles went through the review process and they all have been accepted for publication in the upcoming issue. These upcoming papers fall under a special theme of Fresh Produce Marketing: Critical Trends and Issues guest edited by Dr. Govindasamy and Dr. Thornsbury. As in earlier years, all the participants are willing to publish results from their S-1019 project work in various agricultural and horticultural journals.

Regional Fonsah, E. G. (2006) "Fruits and Vegetable Situation and Outlook". Proceedings: 2006 Southern Region Agricultural Outlook Conference, (forthcoming). Fonsah, E. G. (2006). "Sensitivity Profitability Analysis for Growing Rabbiteye Blueberries in Georgia". Presented at the 10th North American Blueberry Research and Extension Workers' Conference, University of Georgia, Tifton, Georgia, pp. 1-5 (.June 4-8) Fonsah, E.G. (2006) "Historical Perspective and Market Trends for Watermelons in Georgia". Proceedings of the 2006 Southeast Regional Vegetable Conference, Savannah, Savannah International Trade & Convention Center, Savannah, Georgia, pp. 28-33 (January 5-8). Fonsah, E.G. (2006) "A Comprehensive Market Analysis of the Georgia Vegetable Industry". Proceedings of the 2006 Southeast Regional Vegetable Conference, Savannah, Savannah International Trade & Convention Center , Savannah, Georgia, pp. 71-78 (January 5-8). Thilmany, D.,"Colorado Crop to Cuisine: A Match Made at Market". CSU Vice President of Research Newsletter. Winter 2006. State, Station or Agency: Carman, Hoy F. "California Farmers Adapt Their Mandated Marketing Programs To The 21st Century." California Agriculture, (In press). Fonsah, E.G. and J. E. Hudgins (2006). "Economic Analysis of Tomato Production and Marketing in Georgia". Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Georgia (forthcoming). Fonsah, E.G. (2006). "2006 Fruit and Vegetable Market Consideration". The Georgia Economic Issues Newsletter (Forthcoming). Fonsah, E.G, C. Lacy, J. McKissick, D. Shurley, N. Smith and F. Stegelin. (2006) "2006 Economic Outlook for Georgias Food and Fiber Industry" The Georgia Economic Issues Newsletter, Vol. 22, Issues 1, Feb, pg 1-3. Fonsah, E.G (2006) "Vegetable Economics: A Planning Guide for 2006". Department of Agriculture and Applied Economics, AGECON-06-111. University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Athens, GA. Also in: http://www.ces.uga.edu/Agriculture/agecon/market/PDF/Veg_Econ_Pub2006.pdf Fonsah, E. G. (2006) "Performance of Georgia Vegetable Industry". Georgia Vegetable Extension-Research Report, Cooperative Research-Extension Report Ext. Bull. No. 5-2006. The University of Georgia, College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences (in press). Also in: http://www.ces.uga.edu/Agriculture/agecon/market/PDF/perfGAVegInd.pdf Fonsah, E. G. (2006) "An Overview of Georgia Vegetable Market". Georgia Vegetable Extension-Research Report, Cooperative Research-Extension Report Ext. Bull. No. 5-2006. The University of Georgia, College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences (In press). Also in: http://www.ces.uga.edu/Agriculture/agecon/market/PDF/overviewGAVege.pdf Fonsah, E. G. (2006) "Differentiating, Targeting and Developing New Vegetable Markets". Georgia Vegetable Extension-Research Report, Cooperative Research-Extension Report Ext. Bull. No. 5-2006. The University of Georgia, College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences (In press). Also in: http://www.ces.uga.edu/Agriculture/agecon/market/PDF/newVegeMkts.pdf Fonsah, E. G. (2006) "Price Analysis for Selected Georgia Vegetables". Georgia Vegetable Extension-Research Report, Cooperative Research-Extension Report Ext. Bull. No. 5-2006. The University of Georgia, College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences (in press). Also in: http://www.ces.uga.edu/Agriculture/agecon/market/PDF/priceAnalysis.pdf Hinson, R., J. Pyzner, F. Trappey and C. Johnson. "Projected Costs of Establishing and Operating a 10-Acre Mayhaw Orchard in Louisiana". A.E.A. No. 141, Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, LAES, LSU AgCenter, Baton Rouge, 32 pp, 2006. Hinson, R., J. Boudreaux and A. Vaughn. "Projected Costs of Establishing and Operating a Citrus Grove". A.E.A. No. 140, Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, LAES, LSU AgCenter, Baton Rouge, 40 pp, 2006. Kellie Raper, Cristobal Aguilar, and Suzanne Thornsbury (2006). "Regional Wholesale Price Relationships from a Michigan Perspective". Agricultural Economics Report 625, Department of Agricultural Economics, Michigan State University, 22 pp. Li, Lan, Hoy F. Carman and Richard J. Sexton. Sept/Oct 2006. "Retailer Pricing Practices for Fresh Avocados." Agricultural and Resource Economics Update, University of California Giannini Foundation, Vol. 10, No. 1, pp. 5-8. Lourdes Martinez and Suzanne Thornsbury (2006). "Michigan Tart Cherry Processors: Issues and Strategy," Agricultural Economics Report 627, Department of Agricultural Economics, Michigan State University, 24 pp. Lourdes Martinez and Suzanne Thornsbury. "U.S. Fresh Produce Wholesale Sector Trade Practices: Initial Survey Results," Agricultural Economics Report 626, Department of Agricultural Economics, Michigan State University. In review. Matt Ernst and Timothy Woods, "Price Trends for Selected Kentucky Vegetable Crops from Different Market Channels in 2004 and 2005", 2005 Fruit and Vegetable Crops Research Report pp. 11-13, University of Kentucky, December 2005. Matt Ernst and Timothy Woods, "Establishment Costs for Sustainable Blueberry Production", 2005 Fruit and Vegetable Crops Research Report pp. 11-13, University of Kentucky, December 2005. Picha, D. H. and R. A. Hinson. "Export Opportunity: More Louisiana Sweet Potatoes to the UK". Louisiana Agriculture, 48(3), 2005 pp 12-13. Ramu Govindasamy, A. Nemana, V. Puduri, K. Pappas, B. Schilling, J. E. Simon, R. V. Vranken and L. Brown, "Demographics and the Marketing of Asian Ethnic Produce in the Mid-Atlantic States", New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, P-02903-1-06. May 2006. Ramu Govindasamy, A. Kumaraswamy V. Puduri and B. Onyango, "Demographic Characteristics of Consumers who Read Grocery Brochures Regularly and Those who are willing to Switch Supermarkets to Buy Advertised Specials: An Analysis", New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, P-02903-1-06, June 2006. Ranjan, Ram. "Technology Adoption Against Invasive Species." International Trade and Policy Center Working Paper WPTC 06-04, May 2006. Thilmany, D., P. Watson and George Kress. "The Economic Impact of the Colorado Wine Industry." Thilmany, D., J. Keeling-Bond and C. Bond. "Direct Marketing of Fresh Produce: Understanding Consumer Interest in Product and Process-Based Attributes." In review, Special issue of CHOICES by Regional Research Committee on Fruit and Vegetable Marketing. Thilmany, D. and J. Wilson. "Understanding Colorado Wine Consumer Preferences for Local Wine". Timothy Woods, Matt Ernst and Jim Mansfield, "2006 Kentucky Produce Planting and Marketing Intentions Survey and Outlook", University of Kentucky, Dept of Ag Economics Extension Numbered Series: 2006-02, April, 2006. Timothy Woods, Matt Ernst, and Jeffrey Herrington, "2006 Kentucky Restaurant Produce Buyer Survey", University of Kentucky, Dept of Ag Economics Extension Numbered Series: 2006-01, April, 2006. Timothy Woods and James Mansfield, "Strategies for Developing Agricultural Opportunities in the Greater Lexington Area", University of Kentucky, Dept of Ag Economics Extension Numbered Series, 2005-11, October, 2005 Tomokazu Nagai, Mollie Woods, and Suzanne Thornsbury. "Tariff Intervention in Trade of US and EU Cherry Products: A Guide to Information," Agricultural Economics Report, Department of Agricultural Economics, Michigan State University. In review. Venkata Puduri, R. Govindasamy and B. Onyango, "Country of Origin Labeling of Fresh Produce: A Consumer Preference Analysis", New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, P-02903-1-06, June 2006. Outreach/Industry Publications ABMR 06-02. Wilson, J. and D. Thilmany. Colorado Wine Consumers: Tapping Interest in Local Wines. June 2006. 7 pp. ABMR 06-01. Thilmany, D. The US Organic Industry: Important Trends and Emerging Issues for the USDA. April 2006. 9pp. Carman, Hoy. "California Green Industry Adds $20 Billion to State's Economy." February 2006. California Nurseryscape, vol. 14, No.1, pp. 20-21. EDR- 06-08. D. Thilmany, P. Watson, and G. Kress. The Economic Contribution of the Colorado Wine Industry May 2006. 10 pp. Farm Management: Value-Added Marketing Program, Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, Pennsylvania State University. Fact Sheets range in length of one to four pages and are intended to give vegetable and fruit growers a brief understanding of marketing and business management topics. Fact sheets are housed on the Farm Management web site, http://farmmanagement.aers.psu.edu/ValueAddedMrkt.htm, in pdf form. Fonsah, E. G (2006). "Updated Enterprise Cost Analysis For Producing Pecans in Georgia". Association Conference, Perry Georgia, May 04, 2006. THE PECAN GROWER: 38 (2):66-67 (September - November). Fonsah, E.G. (2006). "Go Bananas: Is Banana at the Verge of Extinction?" Central African Business, pg 19, August 30. Kotcon, J. and D. Thilmany. CSREES Organic Opportunities: Leadership Needs and Strategic Action Plan to Meet the Growing Demand in Organic Agriculture. White paper for the USDA-CSREES. March 2006. Kelley, K.M. 2006. Using loyalty programs to attract consumers to value-added businesses. Kelley, K.M. 2006. Marketing to professional chefs. Kelley, K.M. 2006. Winery tasting room essentials. Kelley, K.M. 2005. Community Supported Agriculture: Part I. Getting started. Kelley, K.M. 2005. Community Supported Agriculture: Part II. Members and their roles. Kress, G., P. Watson and D. Thilmany. The Colorado Wine Industry's Impact on Mesa County. Final report to the Mesa County . March 2006. Lourdes Martinez and Suzanne Thornsbury (2006). The Evolving Role of Intermediaries in Fresh Produce Supply Chains, Blueprints, The Produce Professionals' Quarterly Journal. Apr/May/Jun, 68-70. Thilmany, D., J. Wilson and P. Ritten. Market and Cooperative Crush Feasibility Analysis for Colorado Wines. Coorado Department of Agriculture Value-Added Feasability Report to Western Colorado Business Development Corporation and Debra Ray. June 2006. Thilmany, D. Integrating Organics into CSREES and Broader USDA Programs: Organizational and Leadership Alternatives. White paper for the USDA-CSREES. Spring 2006. Thilmany, D.., P. Watson and G. Kress. The Economic Contribution of Colorado's Wine Industry. Final report to the Colorado Wine Industry Development Board and Rocky Mountain Vintners and Viticulturalists Association. June 2006. Timothy Woods, "2006 Regional Winegrape Price Survey", Wine East, pp.26-30, September-October, 2006. Timothy Woods and Matt Ernst, "Kentucky Produce Marketing and Auction Price Trends", Fairview produce Auction Newsletter, 2005-2006. Refereed Conference Proceedings Bernard, John C., Katie Gifford and Toensmeyer, Ulrich C., Bacon, Richard "An Experimental Investigation of Willingness to Pay for Non-GM and Organic Foods", Selected paper prepared for presentation at the American Agricultural Economics Association Annual Meeting, Providence, Rhode Island, July 24-27, 2005. Paper Submission # 137120. Byrd, M, C. Escalante, E. G. Fonsah and M. Wetzstein (2006). "Impact on Farm Profitability and Yield Efficiency of Bell Pepper Production under the Methyl Bromide Phase-out Program in Georgia". Journal of Food Distribution Research, 37(1): 48-50 (March). Cheng, Hsiang-tai, Donna Lamb, Lili Dang, 2006. "Factor Analysis of Consumer Attitudes toward Farm Direct Markets". Proceedings. Journal of Food Distribution Research. 37(1). Fonsah, E. G., G. Krewer, R. Wallace (2006) "Third Year Banana Cultivars Trial in South Georgia". Journal of Food Distribution Research, 37(1): 71-75 (March). Hinson, R. and D. Picha. 2006. "A Niche Market for Sweet potatoes - Specialty Packs to the United Kingdom". Abstract: Proceedings of the Southern Agricultural Economics Association, Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, 38(2) p Hinson, R, R. Sinoha and D. Reaves. 2006. "Industry Concentration Impacts on Business Strategies used by Small Produce Wholesalers". Abstract: Proceedings of the Southern Agricultural Economics Association, Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, 38(2) p 463. Kelley, K.M. 2006. Population trends: Does this change your consumer outlook? 2006 Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention, pgs. 50-51. Krewer, G., E. G. Fonsah, G. Boyhan (2006) "A Third Year Study on the Effect of Trellis Type on Yield, Fruit Size and Economics of Blackberry Production in Georgia". Journal of Food Distribution Research, 37(1): 97-100 (March). Ramu Govindasamy, A. Kumaraswamy V. Puduri and B. Onyango, "Demographic Characteristics of Consumers who Read Grocery Brochures Regularly and Those who are willing to Switch Supermarkets to Buy Advertised Specials: An Analysis", Northeastern Agricultural Economics Association Annual Meetings, Mystic, Connecticut, June 11-14, 2006. Ramu Govindasamy, K. Pappas and V. Puduri, "Demand for Ethnic Produce in the Eastern U.S.: Results from Asian and Hispanic Survey", Food Distribution Research Society, OCT 14-18, 2006 Quebec City, Canada. Ramu Govindasamy, V. Puduri, R. W.Van Vranken, W. Sciarappa , A. Ayeni, K.Pappas J.E. Simon , F. Mangan, M. Lamberts, and G. McAvoy, "Economic Development of Ethnic Crops for the East Coast: A Procedural Synopsis", Trends in New Crops and New Uses: Proceedings of the Fifth National Symposium New Crops and New Uses: Strength in Diversity, California, October, 2006. R. Thompson Wright, Suzanne Thornsbury, and Lourdes Martinez (2006). "Technological Leapfrogging as a Source of Competitive Advantage" Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics. 38(2):pp. to be determined. Woods, Timothy and Fabien Tondell, "Supply Chain Management and the Changing Structure of U.S. Organic Produce Markets", selected paper, American Agricultural Economics Association annual meeting, Long Beach, CA, (7/06). Wysocki, Allen F. "Quantifying Strategic Choice along the Vertical Coordination Continuum: Implications for Agri-Food Chain Performance." Proceedings of the Frontis Workshop on Quantifying the agri-food supply chain, Wageningen, The Netherlands, 22-24 October 2004, Published January, 2006. Venkata Puduri, R. Govindasamy and B. Onyango, "Country of Origin Labeling of Fresh Produce: A Consumer Preference Analysis", Northeastern Agricultural Economics Association Annual Meetings, Mystic, Connecticut, June 11-14, 2006. Refereed Journal Byrd, M.M., C. L. Escalante, E.G. Fonsah, and M.E. Wetzstein (2006). "Financial Efficiency of Methyl Bromide Alternatives for Georgia Bell Pepper Industries." Journal of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers 69 (Forthcoming). Carman, Hoy F. "Offsetting Price Impacts from Imports with Generic Advertising and Promotion Programs: The Hass Avocado Promotion and Research Order." Review of Agricultural Economics. In press. Epperson, J.E. 2006. Characteristics of Successful Southeastern Agribusiness Exporters. J. Int. Food & Agribus. Mkting, 18(3/4):87-103. Epperson, J.E., P.D. McPherson, and F.E. Stegelin. 2006. National Produce Market Barrier Penetration: The Georgia Case. HortScience., 41(3):671-673. Govindasamy, R., C. Turvey and V. Puduri. "The Influence of Agro-terrorism on Consumers Preference for Locally Grown Products: A Case-Study from New Jersey" Applied Economic Letters, (Forthcoming, 2006). Govindasamy, R. and S. Thornsbury. "Fresh Produce Marketing: Critical Trends and Issues" Choices, (Forthcoming, 2006). Govindasamy, R., A. Nemana, V. Puduri and K. Pappas. "Ethnic Produce Marketing in the Mid-Atlantic States: Consumer Shopping Pattern and Willingness to Pay Analysis" Choices, (Forthcoming, 2006). Fonsah, E.G, K. A. Harrison and P. Foster (2006) "Status of Irrigation Water Use on Pecans in Georgia: Lesson for Growers, Extension Specialists, Extension Agents, Professional Farm Managers and Appraisers". Journal of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers (Forthcoming). Fonsah, E.G., C.A. Adamu and B.Okole (2006). "Field Evaluation of Three Micropropagated Cavendish Banana Cultivars Over A Six Crop Cycle In The Tropics". Fruits Pub.06/339/File 06.017 (Forthcoming). Fonsah, E. G., G. Krewer, K. Harrison and D. Stanaland (2006). "Economic Returns Using Risk Rated Budget Analysis for Rabbiteye Blueberries in Georgia". HORTTECH-00643R (Forthcoming). Hinson, R. "The Role of 3rd Party Logistics (3PL) Providers in Produce" Journal of Food Distribution Research, 36(2) 12-19, 2005. John Brooker and Charles Hall, "A Marketing Systems Approach to Removing Distribution Barriers Confronting Small-Volume Fruit and Vegetable Growers" Choices. (submitted and in review process) Love, Leigh A., James A. Sterns, Thomas H. Spreen, and Allen F. Wysocki. "When Consumers Diet, Do Producers Suffer? An Examination of Low-Carb Dieting and U.S. Orange Juice Consumption." Journal of Food Distribution Research, Forthcoming. Mabiso, Athur, James Sterns, Lisa House and Allen Wysocki. "Estimating Shoppers' Willingness-To-Pay for Country-Of-Origin Labels in Fresh Apples and Tomatoes: A Double-Hurdle Probit Analysis of U.S. Data Using Factor Scores." Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Re-submitted for publication in 2006. Montri, D.N., K.M. Kelley, and E.S. Sánchez. 2006. Direct marketing edamame (Glycine max [L.] Merrill) to professional chefs. Journal of Extension 44(1): http://www.joe.org/joe/2006february/rb4.shtml. Montri, D.N., K.M. Kelley, and E.S. Sánchez. (Accepted). Consumer interest in fresh, In shell edamame and acceptance of edamame-based patties. HortScience. Onyango, B., R. Nayga and R. Govindasamy. "U.S. Consumers' Willingness to Pay for Food Labeled Genetically Modified" Agricultural and Resource Economics Review, 35(2006): 1-10. Onyango, B., R. Govindasamy, and W. Hallman. "U.S. Public Awareness and Knowledge of and Interest in Biotechnology: A Principal Component Factor Analysis" Journal of Food Distribution Research Society, 37(2006): 126-132. Onyango, B., R. Govindasamy, W. Hallman, H. Jang and V. S. Puduri. "Consumer Acceptance of Genetically Modified Foods in Korea: Factor and Cluster Analysis" Journal of Agribusiness, 24(2006): 61-78. Pray, C., R. Govindasamy, and A. Coutmanche. "The Importance of Intellectual Property Rights in the International Spread of Private Sector Agricultural Biotechnology" The ICFAI Journal of Agricultural Economics, 3(2006): 7-20. Suzanne Thornsbury, Roger Hinson, Lourdes Martinez, and Dixie Watts Reaves. "Fresh Produce Intermediaries in Away-from-Home Food Markets." Choices. In review. Other Refereed Fonsah, E.G., G. Krewer, K. Harrison and M. Bruorton (2006). Economic Analysis of Producing Southern Highbush Blueberries in Soil in Georgia. University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. Bul-1303, March. Available on website: http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubs/PDF/B1303.pdf Fonsah, E.G. (2006). "Marketing" In: Commercial Pepper Production Handbook. The University of Georgia, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Bul: 1309, June, pp 47-50. Available on website: http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubcd/B1309.htm#Marketing Fonsah, E.G. (2006). "Production Cost" In: Commercial Pepper Production Handbook. The University of Georgia, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Bul: 1309, June, pp. 51-55. Available on website: http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubcd/B1309.htm#Marketing Fonsah, E.G. (2006). "Marketing" In: Commercial Tomatoes Production Handbook. The University of Georgia, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Bul: 1312, July, pp. 42-47. Available on website: http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubs/PDF/B1312.pdf Fonsah, E.G. (2006). "Production Cost" In: Commercial Tomato Production Handbook. The University of Georgia, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Bul: 1312, July, pp. 48-51. Available on website: http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubs/PDF/B1312.pdf Book Chapters Alston, Julian M., Hoy F. Carman, James A. Chalfant, John M. Crespi, and Richard J. Sexton. "Evaluation of Prune Promotion by the California Prune Board." Chapter 6 in Kaiser, H.M., J.M. Alston, J.M. Crespi, and R.J. Sexton. The Economics of Commodity Promotion Programs: Lessons from California. Peter Lang Publishing, Inc., New York, 2005, pp. 109-136. Carman, Hoy F. and Julian M. Alston. "California's Mandated Commodity Programs." Chapter 2 in Kaiser, H.M., J.M. Alston, J.M. Crespi, and R.J. Sexton. The Economics of Commodity Promotion Programs: Lessons from California. Peter Lang Publishing, Inc., New York, 2005, pp. 13-37. Carman, Hoy and Kim Craft. "Evaluation of Avocado Promotion by the California Avocado Commission." Chapter 7 in Kaiser, H.M., J.M. Alston, J.M. Crespi, and R.J. Sexton. The Economics of Commodity Promotion Programs: Lessons from California. Peter Lang Publishing, Inc., New York, 2005, pp. 137-166.