Behavioral Response of Rhyzopertha dominica, Lesser Grain Borer, to Wheat Volatiles

The lesser grain borer is a grain pest that eats and damages grain products such as rice, corn, wheat, and millet (Edde, 2012). The lesser grain borer has a tendency to to reproduce rapidly and explode into big infestations under optimal conditions, which become hard to control (Johnson, 2000). Controlling these infestations has been moderately successful with the use of pheromones, which attract the beetles (El-Azi, 2011). The purpose of this research is to pinpoint the lesser grain borer’s potential preference of different wheat volatiles it is given, and find the strongest response. The hypothesis is that certain samples that have higher moisture, a stronger odor, or an added pheromone that could elicit the strongest response to the volatiles than samples that do not have these conditions. The results obtained from this research indicate that our hypothesis is fairly correct, showing the aged, wet wheat with an added pheromone had the highest preference among all samples tested. The significance of this research should bring the gap closer between effectively controlling the lesser grain borer and grain safety, which will maximize the product, reduce the potential hazards to human health, and be the framework for other similar problems with grain pests around the worl

Demand for Pasture-Raised Livestock Products: Results from Michigan Retail Surveys

Pasture-raised livestock production offers opportunity for product differentiation and enhanced sustainability. Shopper surveys at three Michigan retail locations measured consumers’ attitudes and beliefs regarding pasture-raised livestock products, and willingness to pay for pasture-raised milk and beef. The shoppers associate pasture-raised products with attributes important to purchase decisions. The shoppers express willingness to pay, on average, about 35% more for pasture-raised milk and beef. Informational messages appear to have no effect on these responses. We suggest pasture-raised is a viable marketing strategy and recommend premium pricing strategies and promotion based on verifiable health benefits.animal welfare, consumer demand, pasture-raised livestock products, sustainability, Tobit, willingness to pay, Agribusiness, Demand and Price Analysis, Livestock Production/Industries,

CONSUMER PREFERENCES FOR ORGANIC STANDARDS: GUIDING DEMAND-EXPANSION STRATEGIES FOR ORGANIC FOOD

Consumer/Household Economics,

An appraisal for use in reliability analysis of the test and data collection procedures in the manufacture of an inertial guidance system

Behavior of first gimbal stabilization loop for reliability analysis of inertial guidance syste

Demand for Pasture-Raised Livestock Products in Michigan: Results of Consumer Surveys and Experimental Auctions

Pasture-raised livestock products present a niche-marketing opportunity for small- and medium-scale farmers; growth of this market may enhance the economic, social, and environmental sustainability of livestock agriculture. Results from an earlier statewide poll in Michigan found that consumers place great importance on product attributes associated with the pasture-based production model. This report presents findings from a combination of consumer surveys conducted at three Michigan retail locations and a series of experimental auctions. Participants in both the survey and auction components view pasture-raised beef and milk products very favorably, believing these products are healthy for humans to eat and are raised in environmentally friendly and humane ways. Survey respondents reported high likelihood of purchase; both the survey and auction subjects expressed willingness to pay a premium for pasture-raised products. We discuss these findings, particularly implications for the “four P’s†of marketing.Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Livestock Production/Industries,

THE ORGANIC LABEL: HOW TO RECONCILE ITS MEANING WITH CONSUMER PREFERENCES

The USDA's National Organic Program (NOP), with its unified definition and labeling requirements, holds great promise for increasing commerce in and decreasing transaction costs associated with purchasing organic food. However, the label and its meaning must both be well understood and reflect the traits consumers want if this promise is to be realized. This paper reports the results of a survey and experimental auction on consumers' preferences for organic standards. On one hand, the USDA NOP's Final Rule broadly conforms to consumer preferences regarding what practices should or should not be permitted in organic production and processing. Consumers support a strict definition of organic in general, opposing the use of a variety of practices historically banned by organic certifiers. For example, both the survey and auction methods found that consumers support the banning of Genetically Modified Organisms in organic food and are willing to pay a premium to avoid them. Consumers are also in accord with the Final Rule's exclusion of irradiation, biosolids, growth regulators, etc. On the other hand, the survey and auction results reveal a lack of understanding of the label's meaning as well as a disconnect between the label's function (detailing acceptable production practices) and consumers' stated motivations for buying organic (e.g., support for a local sustainable food system). Implications of these findings for decision makers in policy and industry are discussed. Of particular focus will be the role of these agents in promoting products that allow consumers to purchase items that reflect and support these values.Consumer/Household Economics,

Consumer Preferences for Organic and Fair Trade Chocolate: Implications for Sustainable Agriculture in the Developing World

This paper examines results of a consumer survey measuring consumer awareness and attitudes concerning two labels, certified organic and certified Fair Trade. These labels provide information about the social, economic and environmental sustainability of the production and marketing practices of goods imported from the developing world. Conjoint analysis is used to measure how consumers value organic and fair trade compared to other attributes like price. Results indicate favorable attitudes and value placed on these the sustainable attributes, and imply a role for these labels to provide incentives for the adoption of more sustainable practices.conjoint analysis, Fair Trade, organic, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,

Community Supported Agriculture Pricing and Promotion Strategies: Lessons from Two Ithaca, NY, Area Farms

E.B. 2003-07Surveyed members of two Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms in the Ithaca (Tompkins County) NY area state that the qualities they value most in their CSA share are freshness, organically grown and local. These members place the least amount of importance on the price, season length, and sense of community. In addition, the price paid for a share in each CSA was less than a consumer would have to pay for the same bundle of goods at three local retail outlets, especially if the consumer took advantage of “pick your own” specials on the farm. CSA (sometimes called “subscription farming”) is an arrangement under which members pay a fee at or near the beginning of the season to cover farm expenses, in return for a share of the farm’s harvest throughout the season. At least 80 CSA farms are active in New York State, according to the Robyn VanEn Center for CSA Resources. At least ten serve the Tompkins County area alone (Cornell Cooperative Extension -Tompkins County). Members share the risks of crop failure and provide working capital to the growers and in some cases are required to contribute labor (sometimes in exchange for a lower price), but gain the satisfaction of connecting with the land and growers, knowing where the food comes from and participating in the production of their food (DeMuth). Members and producers often share basic ideologies (Lass et al.). CSAs offer other benefits to consumers, producers and society as a whole. They can build bridges between farmers and non-farmers on the urban/rural fringe (Sharp et 2 al.). They educate people about the food system (Lass et al.; Sharp et al.) and have a larger role in community building in rural areas (Sharp et al.). CSAs have little or no food spoilage, compared to up to 25% on conventional farms (Lass et al.). CSAs are also believed to play a role in stabilizing food security, protecting the environment and preserving small scale family farms (Stagl and O’Hara). The goals of this study were twofold: (1) to compare prices of CSA shares from two Ithaca area farms with equivalent prices for the same produce items from local retail outlets; and (2), to measure members’ attitudes about and satisfaction with CSA membership. Results will guide promotional and pricing strategies for these and other CSA farms, as well as other farms involved in direct marketing. Price and promotion are identified as two vital components of the marketing strategy for products (like CSA shares) in the introductory or growth phases of the product life cycle (Kotler)

Movement and habitat use of two aquatic turtles (\u3cem\u3eGraptemys geographic\u3c/em\u3e and \u3cem\u3eTrachemys scripta\u3c/em\u3e) in an urban landscape

Our study focuses on the spatial ecology and seasonal habitat use of two aquatic turtles in order to understand the manner in which upland habitat use by humans shapes the aquatic activity, movement, and habitat selection of these species in an urban setting. We used radiotelemetry to follow 15 female Graptemys geographica (common map turtle) and each of ten male and female Trachemys scripta (red-eared slider) living in a man-made canal within a highly urbanized region of Indianapolis, IN, USA. During the active season (between May and September) of 2002, we located 33 of the 35 individuals a total of 934 times and determined the total range of activity, mean movement, and daily movement for each individuals. We also analyzed turtle locations relative to the upland habitat types (commercial, residential, river, road, woodlot, and open) surrounding the canal and determined that the turtles spent a disproportionate amount of time in woodland and commercial habitats and avoided the road-associated portions of the canal. We also located 21 of the turtles during hibernation (February 2003), and determined that an even greater proportion of individuals hibernated in woodland-bordered portions of the canal. Our results clearly indicate that turtle habitat selection is influenced by human activities; sound conservation and management of turtle populations in urban habitats will require the incorporation of spatial ecology and habitat use data

The question-behaviour effect: a theoretical and methodological review and meta-analysis

Research has demonstrated that asking people questions about a behaviour can lead to behaviour change. Despite many, varied studies in different domains, it is only recently that this phenomenon has been studied under the umbrella term of the question-behaviour effect (QBE) and moderators of the effect have been investigated. With a particular focus on our own contributions, this article: (1) provides an overview of QBE research; (2) reviews and offers new evidence concerning three theoretical accounts of the QBE (behavioural simulation and processing fluency; attitude accessibility; cognitive dissonance); (3) reports a new meta-analysis of QBE studies (k = 66, reporting 94 tests) focusing on methodological moderators. The findings of this meta-analysis support a small significant effect of the QBE (g = 0.14, 95% CI = 0.11, 0.18, p < .001) with smaller effect sizes observed in more carefully controlled studies that exhibit less risk of bias and (4) also considers directions for future research on the QBE, especially studies that use designs with low risk of bias and consider desirable and undesirable behaviour separately