MARKETING DECISIONS OF FARMERS VIA WHOLESALERS: A CHOICE EXPERIMENT
In this article I design, distribute, and analyze a choice experiment regarding vegetable farmers in the United States, measuring preferences of wholesale sales opportunities. The choice experiment includes attributes such as crop profit margin, packing specifications, delivery method, and order size. By analyzing the conditions of a single sale, information can be provided to wholesalers and food hubs on the likelihood that a farm will accept a proposed sale based on dictated terms. The analysis shows clear preferences for more flexible packing standards, crops with high profit margins, on farm pick-up, and a dislike of small orders. These findings are valuable to wholesalers and food hubs and can help them increase the likelihood of a farm saying yes to a sales opportunity, inform policy makers on the possible viability of a food hub, and establish packing specifications as an important factor within market categories and not just across them.