Theses and Dissertations Collection

This work covers 1) declining membership in agricultural cooperatives and 2) regional market size for local produce. Chapter 2 utilizes logistic regression to identify characteristics of agricultural producers that identify them as probable agricultural cooperative members. Individuals with high income from their agricultural operation, whose values align with that of cooperatives, are likely candidates for membership. These results help cooperatives combat declining membership by identifying ways to increase marketing efficiency and communication with members and potential members.

Chapter 3 shows a method of calculating the market size for a local produce item within a given region. Total available market, serviceable available market, and serviceable obtainable market estimate the total annual consumption of the item. Threshold population, demand threshold, and the number of acres required to supply the market help business owners and producers decide if selling local produce will be profitable in their area.