Purpose The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 directed the US Secretary to report on profitability and viability beginning farmers ranchers. Many operations use local food markets as they provide more control, or a premium over commodity prices, cannot yet take advantage economies scale subsequently have higher costs production. Little research assesses relationship between farmer sales through markets. In this paper, implications for ranchers are explored. Design/methodology/approach...

Farm-based recreation, or agritourism, is growing in the USA, raising new interest potential benefits for consumers/travellers and communities. This study utilizes a hurdle travel cost model to investigate demand economic of agritourism. The analysis includes an estimation consumer surplus as one means estimate market size this sector. standard assumes single-purpose recreational trip; but, case with number categories tourism, assumption may not hold all agritourism outings travellers often...

Abstract Beginning farmers and ranchers represent an important segment of U.S. agriculture, yet they face financial challenges relative to more established operations. This article provides overview emerging research on the performance beginning farm ranch operations, with a lens toward implications for 2023 Farm Bill. First, we use Department Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Resource Management Survey data explore descriptive statistics usage of: local food markets, Federal crop insurance,...

Due in large part to rising consumer interest, the number of farmers and ranchers selling through local food markets is growing. Community-supported agriculture (CSA) a unique channel adopted by producers that was initially established as strategy for directly benefit from season-long investments buyers who align with their community-focused mission. Although U.S. Department Agriculture has long collected data improve farm performance, information on specific marketing channels missing,...

Social networking services are becoming an increasingly popular medium for marketing and advertising. The growth in usage of these sites, together with active local food system Northern Colorado, motivated this study examines the effectiveness social consumer-oriented agribusinesses. Initial research on suggests it is innovation being informally used by consumers to quickly spread word mouth events products. For businesses, a potential opportunity effectively grow markets or improve loyalty...

There is an increasing array of land-grant, nonprofit, and other academic programs intended to support the development food system enterprises programs. However, research track consumers' evolving preferences behaviors within these systems measure policy outcomes any public investments in lagging. This commentary represents a compilation opinions insights from those who are interested exploring priorities for economic, marketing, supply-chain aspects local systems. The that emerge framed...

Purpose Beginning farmers have unique challenges securing credit because they are less likely to established sales and collateral for secured loans. This article explores US beginning farmers’ financing strategies relative those of operations, with a focus on the source debt structure (short- vs long-term usage). Agricultural operations commonly use nontraditional tools start, build and/or sustain their businesses. provides comparative overview comparing operators only operators, as well...

In Colorado, agritourism shows the potential to benefit agricultural producers and rural communities by generating additional income from consumers who are willing pay for agriculturally related experiences. This study uses a survey of Colorado agritourists identify five distinct groups visitors using demographics, attitudes, expenditures, activity types. The visitor clusters significantly different when considering types travel planning transportation, participation, importance party’s...

Agritourism represents a significant part of the tourism industry in Intermountain West, and is poised to become increasingly important Colorado. Nationwide, 106 rural counties employed more than 1,000 people travel jobs, with some recording 90% total employment that (Wilkerson, 2003). According 2002 US Census Agriculture data, farm ranch businesses Colorado derived over $12 million income from recreational sources. Recreation contributes 5% producers’ 6 (Wilson, Thilmany Watson, 2006;...

Although the growth in direct markets suggests a significant jump local food purchasing by households, marketing still only accounts for small percentage of total sales because conventional supply chains account great majority dollars. Since these traditional outlets are often unable to integrate products from and mid-size producers, new opportunities have arisen farmers reach wholesale markets. But economic question is whether innovations can compete terms efficiency, since transaction...

This research explores the determinants of effective beginning farmer programming and implications for emerging established programs. We use responses from 100 interviews with participants in Building Farmers West Program, one longest-standing training programs United States, to understand how key course principles predict improved farm profitability. Results show that specific production changes after taking course—including number cultivated varieties (negative), enterprises (positive),...

Though data have long been collected to educate producers about how improve farm performance through benchmarking, this information is almost exclusively available by commodity and not market channel. Further, there evidence that the small mid-scale dominate these markets often do keep detailed financial records, despite clear doing so improves viability of operations. This paper uses a Colorado case study Market Channel Assessment Tool (MCAT) determine recruitment methods maximize...

Zia Taqueria is a full-service restaurant in Durango, Colorado whose owners have steadily increased the proportion of local vegetables, grains and meats they source serve to their customers. They created new supply chains that add value heritage products grown Four Corners area, invested building capacity farming operations, brand known for its commitment serving high-quality, reasonably priced meals. In addition operating profitable energy-efficient business, support other businesses...