FACTORS AFFECTING THE NUMBER AND TYPE OF SMALL-FARM DIRECT MARKETING OUTLETS IN MISSISSIPPI

The objective of this study was to delineate and measure the effects of selected economic demographic characteristics of Mississippi counties on the number and type of direct marketing of fruits and vegetables. A combination of primary data collected through a survey of county agents and secondary data from government sources were assembled to achieve the objective. Regression equations representing pick-your own marketing, farmerÂ’s' markets and farm stands were estimated with the iterative three stage least squares technique. Results indicated that economic factors such as income, employment, acreage, and demographic factors (e.g., total population of county, and the size of cities and towns within county boundaries) have varied impacts on the different types of direct marketing.Agribusiness,

TERMINAL MARKET WINDOWS FOR MISSISSIPPI SMALL-FARM VEGETABLE PRODUCERS

This study investigated various marketing strategies involving market windows at wholesale fruit and vegetable terminal markets. Data used in the analysis included weekly prices for okra, sweet corn, strawberries, and green cabbage at terminal markets located in Dallas, St. Louis, Atlanta, Chicago, Cincinnati, and Detroit. Strawberries showed relatively high profit margins for small farmers operating in southwest Mississippi. Sweet corn and okra showed more narrow profit margins, while green cabbage appeared to yield negative net returns (generally) for these farmers. Furthermore, stochastic dominance analysis of various combinations of crop/market/window revealed the following as the preferred marketing strategies: (1) strawberries in all markets in the last third of the calendar year; (2) sweet corn in all six markets in the first third of the calendar year; and (3) okra in St. Louis and Cincinnati in the first third of the calendar year.Agribusiness,

FACTORS AFFECTING THE NUMBER AND TYPE OF SMALL-FARM DIRECT MARKETING OUTLETS IN MISSISSIPPI

The objective of this study was to delineate and measure the effects of selected economic demographic characteristics of Mississippi counties on the number and type of direct marketing of fruits and vegetables. A combination of primary data collected through a survey of county agents and secondary data from government sources were assembled to achieve the objective. Regression equations representing pick-your own marketing, farmers' markets and farm stands were estimated with the iterative three stage least squares technique. Results indicated that economic factors such as income, employment, acreage, and demographic factors (e.g., total population of county, and the size of cities and towns within county boundaries) have varied impacts on the different types of direct marketing

TERMINAL MARKET WINDOWS FOR MISSISSIPPI SMALL-FARM VEGETABLE PRODUCERS

This study investigated various marketing strategies involving market windows at wholesale fruit and vegetable terminal markets. Data used in the analysis included weekly prices for okra, sweet corn, strawberries, and green cabbage at terminal markets located in Dallas, St. Louis, Atlanta, Chicago, Cincinnati, and Detroit. Strawberries showed relatively high profit margins for small farmers operating in southwest Mississippi. Sweet corn and okra showed more narrow profit margins, while green cabbage appeared to yield negative net returns (generally) for these farmers. Furthermore, stochastic dominance analysis of various combinations of crop/market/window revealed the following as the preferred marketing strategies: (1) strawberries in all markets in the last third of the calendar year; (2) sweet corn in all six markets in the first third of the calendar year; and (3) okra in St. Louis and Cincinnati in the first third of the calendar year