Below are a few new papers I’ve co-authored with a number of colleagues over the past couple months.
The effect of the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard (NBFDS) on consumer preferences and acceptance of bioengineered and gene-edited food with Vincenzina Caputo and Valarie Kilders.
Abstract: The National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard in the United States mandates disclosure of foods with bioengineered ingredients. However, some gene-edited foods are excluded from the Standard. This study explores consumer preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for bioengineered and gene-edited foods, with a focus on romaine lettuce, in comparison to conventional, organic, and non-GMO alternatives. Our analysis includes three disclosure formats: the BE label, text, and QR code. We also determine the impact of information-seeking behavior on consumer valuations and the factors influencing such behaviors. Findings reveal a preference for conventional, organic, and non-GMO products over gene-edited and bioengineered options. However, the BE label is identified as the most favored disclosure method. In fact, under the BE disclosure, and particularly among information seekers, WTP for gene-edited and bioengineered products sometimes exceed WTP for conventional options. The study discusses policy implications regarding how disclosure formats and access to information can influence consumer perceptions and acceptance of new food technologies.
Modeling Impacts of Location- and Product-Targeted Demand Enhancement on Pork Producer Profitability with Glynn Tonsor
Abstract: Prior research has documented wide variation in consumer sensitivity to changes in pork prices across different pork products and locations. This heterogeneity in demand elasticities implies there are potential benefits in location- and product-specific promotion strategies. To explore this issue, an economic model of the pork sector was created linking retail demand for six pork products in 50 retail markets with the farm-level supply of hogs in the U.S. The model is used to determine the impacts of targeted demand enhancement strategies by identifying which products, and in which locations, promotion would produce the greatest return for pork producers.
Consumer Sensitivity to Pork Prices - A 2018-2023 Comparison of 50 U.S. Retail Markets and 6 Pork Products with Glynn Tonsor
This study used weekly retail scanner data from 50 U.S. retail markets and six different pork products to estimate market- and product-specific own-price elasticity estimates. Beyond these market- and product-specific own-price elasticities for the full six years spanning 2018 to 2023, we also provide parallel estimates for each two-year period (2018-19, 2020-21, and 2022-23) showing temporal patterns in consumer price sensitivity.
Value of Farm Data in Farmland Rental Markets with Nathan DeLay, Nathan Thompson, Jim Mintert, and Todd Kuethe in Land Economics.
Abstract: Precision farming data enhances agricultural productivity by informing site-specific resource management. These benefits may be capitalized into the underlying value of the farmland itself, raising rental rates. This paper uses a stated preference choice experiment to estimate farmers’ willingness-to-pay for farm data in farmland rental markets. Farmers are willing to pay a small premium to acquire data accrued by previous operators, depending on the field type and quality information provided by the landowner, as well as farmers’ use of precision agriculture technology. We find evidence that farm data confers both a “management value” and a “signaling value” to prospective tenants.
Attracting and Securing Budgets for Agricultural and Applied Economics Departments with Matt Holt, Frances Homans, and Rudy Nayga in Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy
Abstract: The aim of this paper is to discuss the challenges in attracting and securing adequate budgets for departments of agricultural and applied economics, while recognizing that the institutional and political contexts matter. Agricultural and applied economics departments that operate with an entrepreneurial mindset, that maintain and grow their student numbers, and that have a vibrant demand for their extension and research activities will thrive. The good news is we often have considerable control over the factors that contribute to our longer-term success.