Willingness to Pay for Traceable Meat Attributes: A Meta-analysis

Several researches evaluated consumers’ Willingness To Pay (WTP) for each meat traceable attribute, generating a great deal of information in this regard, although specific to the conditions of each study. In light of this, WTP estimates for traceability characteristics differ across the literature, leading sometimes to contrasting interpretations. Seeking a full, meaningful statistical description of the findings of a collection of studies, the meta-analysis allows us to analyze consistency across studies and control for factors thought to drive variations in WTP estimates. The meta-analysis has been conducted using 23 studies that, in aggregate, report 88 valuations for WTP. Our results, aside from releasing unconditional information on the WTP for single meat traceable attributes, show how certain study-specific characteristics, like the base price and the country where the study has been conducted, have a significant impact on WTP estimatesMeta-analysis, food traceability, Willingness to Pay, Agribusiness, Agricultural and Food Policy, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Food Security and Poverty, Institutional and Behavioral Economics, Production Economics, Research Methods/ Statistical Methods, Risk and Uncertainty,

Empirical Studies On The Effectiveness Of Soda Taxes To Curb Obesity

This dissertation presents a series of empirical studies to evaluate the effectiveness of soda taxes to curb the obesity epidemic. Chapter 1 describes the extent and severity of the obesity problem in the U.S., and discusses the policy interventions that have been proposed or enacted with the intent to fight obesity (e.g., sales taxes). Chapter 2 contains a study on the effect of two tax events on soda consumption: a 5.5% sales tax on soft drinks imposed in Maine in 1991, and a 5% sales tax on soft drinks levied in Ohio in 2003. We investigate this question by using sales data collected by scanner devices in Maine, Massachusetts, New York and Connecticut, as well as Ohio, Illinois, Michigan and Pennsylvania. Results suggest that these sales taxes had a statistically insignificant impact on the overall consumption of soft drinks. Chapter 3 describes an empirical study that looks at whether the 5% sales tax on soft drinks in Ohio in 2003 had a differential impact on different socio-economic segments of the population. In line with the results described in Chapter 2, this study suggests that the impact of a tax had a homogeneous effect (and statistically insignificant) across different demographic groups. In Chapter 4 we investigate whether the demand for soda varies with the obesity rate. To this end we develop a demand model that is able to incorporate dynamic properties of this market as well as the resulting possibility that the obesity rate might alter the parameters of the model

Willingness to Pay for Traceable Meat Attributes: A Meta-analysis

 Several researches evaluated consumers’ Willingness To Pay (WTP) for each meat traceable attribute, generating a great deal of information in this regard, although specific to the conditions of each study. In light of this, WTP estimates for traceability characteristics differ across the literature, leading sometimes to contrasting interpretations. Seeking a full, meaningful statistical description of the findings of a collection of studies, the meta-analysis allows us to analyze consistency across studies and control for factors thought to drive variations in WTP estimates. The meta-analysis has been conducted using 23 studies that, in aggregate, report 88 valuations for WTP. Our results, aside from releasing unconditional information on the WTP for single meat traceable attributes, show how certain study-specific characteristics, like the base price and the country where the study has been conducted, have a significant impact on WTP estimates

WTP for Traceable Meat Attributes: A Meta‐analysis

Several researches evaluated consumers’ Willingness To Pay (WTP) for each meat traceable attribute, generating a lot of information in this regard, although related to the conditions of each study. In light of this, WTP estimates for traceability characteristics largely differ across the literature, leading sometimes to contrasting interpretations. Seeking a full, meaningful statistical description of the findings of a collection of studies, the meta ‐analysis allows us analyzing the consistency across studies and controlling for factors thought to drive variations in WTP estimates. The meta‐analysis has been conducted of 23 studies that, in aggregate, report 92 valuations for WTP

Community Supported Agriculture in the Urban Fringe: Empirical Evidence for Project Feasibility in the Metropolitan Area of Naples (Italy)

 Urbanisation of city-side areas effects on farm land use and organisation are analysed in this study with the objective of seeking the most effective way to implement a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) scheme. Specifically, we used a theoretical framework to describe and assess the relationships between urbanization and farm-styles in the city belt. Our analysis is based on a case study in the protected area of the Campi Flegrei Regional Park situated in the north-western part of the Neapolitan metropolitan area, which is a peri-urban rural area with severe environmental management problems. Our results from the empirical analysis allowed us to distinguish the farms of the area into three behavioural-social groups on the basis of specific features, in order to identify the best suited type of farm for the strategic implementation of the CSA. A market scenario was predicted for each of them without any interventio

Effects of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) on rat pial microvascular remodeling after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion

Previous studies have shown that the pial microcirculation remodeling improves neurological outcome after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), accompanied by higher expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), modulating in vivo angiogenesis. This study was aimed to assess the effects of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) infused after MCAO on rat pial microcirculation. Animals were subjected to 2 h MCAO followed by BM-MSCs infusion into internal carotid artery. Pial microcirculation was observed at different reperfusion times by fluorescence microscopy. Geometric characteristics of arteriolar networks, permeability increase, leukocyte adhesion, perfused capillary density, VEGF, and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (e-NOS) expression were evaluated. Green fluorescent protein (GFP)-BM-MSCs were used to evaluate their distribution and cell phenotype development during reperfusion. BM-MSCs stimulated a geometric rearrangement of pial networks with formation of new anastomotic vessels sprouting from preexistent arterioles in the penumbra at 7-14-28 days of reperfusion. At the same time VEGF and eNOS expression increased. GFP-BM-MSCs appear to be involved in endothelial and smooth muscle cell programming in the infarcted area. In conclusion, transient MCAO induced pial vascular remodeling characterized by arteriolar anastomotic arcades (originated from preexistent arterioles in penumbra area) able to overlap the ischemic core supplying blood to the neuronal tissue. BM-MSCs appear to accelerate angiogenic processes facilitating new vessel formation; this mechanism was promoted by an increase in VEGF and eNOS expression

Marketing the improvements in the supply chain for domestic agricultural produce: Legislation, Consumer Behavior, Estimation of market penetration potentiality

The traceability system in the agro-food supply chain, as well as the other food safety tools, can be viewed as performing a double task: On one hand, government interventions are intended to ensure the hygiene and healthiness of processes; on the other hand, the voluntary traceability can be used as marketing tool by manufacturers and processors for the differentiation of its products. With this study we conducted a marketing analysis aimed at evaluating the worthiness of some improvements that could take place in the early potato supply chain. Such improvements consist of the method of production, the distribution typology, the respect of certain ethics, the type of packaging, and the information concerning the origin. Results can be used to enhance the market penetration of this product and inform on possible advantages these improvements in the organization of the supply chain could bring about for producers

Nuove e vecchie sfide per le Politiche di Food Safety: un’applicazione della swot Analysis

Data la complessità dell’ambiente in cui opera la Legislazione europea in materia di sicurezza alimentare ed il bisogno di soddisfare numerosi “fattori chiave” di successo, l’applicazione dello schema della SWOT analysis permette di raggiungere un avanzato dettaglio di analisi. Il metodo SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) consiste in un’analisi dell’ambiente interno ed esterno di un’organizzazione, con lo scopo di identificare i punti di forza, che permettono di ottenere un vantaggio dalle opportunità esterne ed evitare o contrare le minacce. Allo stesso tempo possono essere evidenziati i punti di debolezza, nell’intento di capire dove l’organizzazione fallisce e vi è necessità di intervenire. I risultati ottenuti in questo studio consentono di valutare l’effettiva efficacia degli strumenti d’intervento attuati, nonché l’individuazione di strategie opportune per affrontare le sfide con cui il settore agroalimentare si confronta, alla luce della più recente evoluzione del sistema economico e della società

Nuove e vecchie sfide per le Politiche di Food Safety: un’applicazione della swot Analysis

Food safety has become a priority for advanced societies, especially after several food scares, having disrupted the European agro-food system over recent decades. This theme is considered one of the main issues for the agricultural policies of the European Union. In particular, with the Food Safety Law, included in eu Regulation 178/2002, many interventions aiming at enhancing foodstuff quality, in terms of healthiness and food borne risk reduction, have been implemented. Consequently, it is proper to wander whether food safety policies, beside the purpose of guaranteeing safety to consumers, are also suitable to assure sustainable prices for both consumers and enterprises. Another research enquiry concerns weaknesses of European Legislation. More precisely, is it possible to highlight fragilities of policy tools and to propose new solutions for improving their effectiveness? Are there strengths, which allow improving the competitiveness among European agro-food industries? Considering that the effectiveness of food safety tools depends upon interactions with the external environment, the whole economic system, the international commerce, technical advances, consumers, firms; are there recent threats for the European Legislation? By contrast, are there incentives and opportunities? For its immediacy of interpretation and precision of results, in this paper the strategic analysis of eu Regulation 178/2002 is carried out by means of the swot. The swot method (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) regards the analysis of an organisation’s internal and external environment, and its application allows a deep and accurate analysis of European Legislation on food safety, with the aim of identifying strengths, which will allow taking advantage from external opportunities and avoiding or contrasting threats. At the same time, weaknesses will be highlighted, with the purpose to make a balance and to understand where the Legislation fails, and where it is necessary to intervene. Attained results, in fact, permit the assessment of effective efficiency of food safety tools, in order to face new and old challenges for the agro-food system, and also the capability, or potentiality, in achieving consumer’s welfare, with the social equity objective. These results can be useful for policy makers, taking into account the most recent evolution of the economic system and society. Some of results can be also used by agro-food firms needing to better understand dynamics of legislative, economic and social environment, with the aim of improving their productive and commercial strategies.

Willingness to Pay for Traceable Meat Attributes: A Meta-analysis

Several researches evaluated consumers’ Willingness To Pay (WTP) for each meat traceable attribute, generating a great deal of information in this regard, although specific to the conditions of each study. In light of this, WTP estimates for traceability characteristics differ across the literature, leading sometimes to contrasting interpretations. Seeking a full, meaningful statistical description of the findings of a collection of studies, the meta-analysis allows us to analyze consistency across studies and control for factors thought to drive variations in WTP estimates. The meta-analysis has been conducted using 23 studies that, in aggregate, report 88 valuations for WTP. Our results, aside from releasing unconditional information on the WTP for single meat traceable attributes, show how certain study-specific characteristics, like the base price and the country where the study has been conducted, have a significant impact on WTP estimate