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Building climate resilience in agriculture may usefully rely on crop improvement informed by social science studies of farmer preferences. Here, we present the case of grasspea in Ethiopia, a resilient and nutritious legume that can survive conditions where many other crops fail. Excessive consumption however carries the risk of an irreversible, crippling disease, this is possible in the future since the weather extremes that climate change is predicted to bring will create the conditions in which grasspea is one of the food sources that will likely see increased consumption. Crucially, farmers are not fully aware of this risk and may therefore not adopt the low-toxin grasspea that crop scientists have developed and that is about to enter the breeding pipeline. In this study we use focus group discussions, key informant interviews and choice experiments to investigate farmer preferences for grasspea improvement. We confirm that farmers do not place much value on reduced toxicity. Instead, they have strong preferences for other improvements, such as resistance to pests. This suggests that improvements that are needed in future but not yet preferred (i.e. reduced toxicity) should be bundled with improvements that farmers already prefer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the working conditions of low-skilled workers in a developing country, Bangladesh, to shed light on the conditions workers value and employers may be willing to provide. Using a carefully designed choice experiment embedded in a unique survey of employers and employees, we elicit preferences for compensation, leave and termination policies, working hours, overtime pay, and accident compensation. Workers value termination notice and accident compensation, and employers are not averse to providing them. However, workers find long working hours without overtime compensation to be highly undesirable, whereas many employers are unwilling to provide shorter hours or overtime pay unless they face the threat of fines or are offered substantial incentives. Our findings suggest that encouraging the provision of termination notice and accident compensation may be relatively easy, but that increasing compliance with legal limits on working hours and overtime compensation is likely to require increased enforcement or substantial incentives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assesses the value capture of a result-oriented Product-Service System offer that constitutes a post-harvest solution. Applying the reinforcement learning reward system and general linear models, we identified the Brazilian farmer's propensities to choose different products and services from the proposed system. Reinforcement learning enables one to understand the choice process by rewarding the attributes selected and applying penalties to those not chosen. Regarding product options, farmers' most valued attributes were extended capacity, fixed installation, automatic dryer, and CO2 emission control, considering the investigated system. Regarding service options, the farmers opted for maintenance plans, performance reports, no photovoltaic energy, and purchase over the rental modality. These results assist managers through a reward learning system that constantly updates the value assigned by farmers to product and service attributes. They allow real-time visualization of changes in farmers' preferences regarding the product-service system configurations.

Abstract Drosophila suzukii (D. suzukii), a pervasive pest originating from Southeast Asia, presents a substantial risk to global agriculture. The ability of the female flies to lay eggs within fruits of varying maturity stages, combined with the accelerated offspring development within warmer climates, results in rapid population growth. This poses significant challenges for fruit production and viticulture, exacerbated by the increasing prevalence of pesticide resistance. We propose a solution to this growing issue using an attract-and-kill approach by making use of upcycled organic waste materials made from orange peels. Specifically, we have tested an innovative salty orange peel product (OPP) in a choice experiment, in which OPP and hydrogel (control) were made available to fruit flies in Petri dishes situated beneath red wine grapes. The number of dead flies in both Petri dishes were counted each day and fly maggots inside berries were extracted after four days. Since Petri dishes were covered with a red lid, flies only selected on the basis of olfactory cues. Our results showed a higher number of captured flies in Petri dishes containing OPP compared to those with the hydrogel control. Furthermore, a notable reduction in the number of maggots was observed inside grapes located above OPP compared to the grapes closer to the hydrogel control. Dilution of OPP was followed by a lower count of dead flies. In additional choice experiments, the concentration of NaCl was found to be positively correlated with the number of dead flies. This suggests an important lethal effect caused by high salt concentrations. In a final experiment, OPP was also compared to the commercially-available attractant called Drosalure™, which resulted in a slightly higher attractiveness of OPP to D. suzukii. These findings suggest that OPP holds potential as a cost-efficient and eco-friendly biocide made from organic waste material. OPP offered in attract-and-kill traps equipped with small entry holes is safe for bees and may replace other less eco-friendly control measures for D. suzukii in organic vineyards.

Drosophila suzukii (D. suzukii), a pervasive pest originating from Southeast Asia, presents a substantial risk to global agriculture. The ability of the female flies to lay eggs within fruits of varying maturity stages, combined with the accelerated offspring development within warmer climates, results in rapid population growth. This poses significant challenges for fruit production and viticulture, exacerbated by the increasing prevalence of pesticide resistance. We propose a solution to this growing issue using an attract-and-kill approach by making use of upcycled organic waste materials made from orange peels. Specifically, we have tested an innovative salty orange peel product (OPP) in a choice experiment, in which OPP and hydrogel (control) were made available to fruit flies in Petri dishes situated beneath red wine grapes. The number of dead flies in both Petri dishes were counted each day and fly maggots inside berries were extracted after four days. Since Petri dishes were covered with a red lid, flies only selected on the basis of olfactory cues. Our results showed a higher number of captured flies in Petri dishes containing OPP compared to those with the hydrogel control. Furthermore, a notable reduction in the number of maggots was observed inside grapes located above OPP compared to the grapes closer to the hydrogel control. Dilution of OPP was followed by a lower count of dead flies. In additional choice experiments, the concentration of NaCl was found to be positively correlated with the number of dead flies. This suggests an important lethal effect caused by high salt concentrations. In a final experiment, OPP was also compared to the commercially-available attractant called Drosalure™, which resulted in a slightly higher attractiveness of OPP to D. suzukii. These findings suggest that OPP holds potential as a cost-efficient and eco-friendly biocide made from organic waste material. OPP offered in attract-and-kill traps equipped with small entry holes is safe for bees and may replace other less eco-friendly control measures for D. suzukii in organic vineyards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Road freight transport presently dominates in Queensland due to the current restrictive coastal freight transport regulations. This study presents a discrete choice experiment administered to a sample of shippers and freight forwarders to elicit their preferences for road, rail, and sea transport. The results reveal that about 30% of the choices of 64 company representatives were for the coastal shipping option. Model estimates suggest a willingness to pay about 20 AUD/hour for saving one hour of transit time in the corridor, a higher direct elasticity for road transport with respect to cost, a higher direct elasticity for sea transport with respect to time, and an effect of road user charge on shifting from road transport. The results also show the tendency of half of the sample to ignore either transport time or cost (if not both) in their mode choice decisions, and in this case, the willingness to pay increased to about 30 to 44 AUD/hour for decision-makers not ignoring time and cost in their decisions. Findings also suggest that freight decision-makers evaluate cost and delay attributes of modes in correspondence with risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is one of the very few to use the discrete choice experiment method (DCEM) to estimate the nonmarket values of the impacts on the environmental and health related to mining activities in a developing country. We show that the local population that live close to the mining sites is willing to contribute relatively high levels of money or working hours to avoid mining projects using open pits as their exploitation technology and having important adverse impacts on residents' environment and health. This study is also one the first to apply the DCEM on the mining setting, to analyse the welfare differences between two contribution modes, money and working hours, and to use the mixed-logit model in this context. We found that the willingness to pay with money, relative to the willingness to work, is not downward biased, a concern in the related literature considering developing countries. To prevent social conflicts, mining companies and governments need to consider the high value that local populations assign to avoid mining with adverse attributes. Such conflicts are costly for mining companies, local populations and countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports the results of a Choice Experiment to quantify households’ willingness-to-pay for river gauging programmes in Scotland. The hydrometric network is operated and maintained by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Scotland’s principal environment regulator, a non-department public body of the Scottish Government. Results from mixed logit and latent class modelling show that most households (‘Hydrometric Maximisers’ − around 70 %) have significant, positive willingness-to-pay values for river gauging programmes, but a minority (‘Hydrometric Satisficers’ − around 30 %) do not view this as a major public policy priority. On average, hydrometric data collection delivers non-market benefits worth £84,625,562 to the Scottish economy, with a minimum economic Benefit-to-Cost ratio of 25:1. This is in addition to the infrastructure value and any private returns made by commercial users of the data. The findings demonstrate that traditional approaches to assessing the benefits of hydrometric networks often underestimate their value. The research also highlights the importance of public information campaigns and household engagement initiatives to increase awareness of hydro-meteorological services, and to develop the business case more fully for public investment in environmental observation networks.

Agricultural companies base their decisions on the anticipated behavior of variables. This paper aims to analyze and model the behavior of livestock producers in relation to the adoption of marketing strategies in uncertain scenarios. Through structured questionnaires administered to cattle producers, stated preference models were developed for various strata, taking into account the number of animals. An inverse relationship was observed between income, derived from higher cattle stocks, and hypothetical and real choices of the direct marketing channel. Among the conventional variables, it was confirmed that beef cattle producers prioritize harvesting time over selling price and marketing cost.

This study uses a questionnaire to examine device use effects in choice experiments and to estimate willingness to pay (WTP) values for agritourism-related activities. The results indicate that respondents using devices with large screens are more confident of their responses, dedicate more time to the valuation exercise, and select the status quo option less frequently. However, WTP for agritourism and perceived choice experiment complexity are invariant with regards to the device. Respondents’ WTP for selected agritourism activities varies from $5 to $21 per visit.

Goat meat consumption has grown in recent years due to dietary and cultural changes. US demand has surpassed domestic supply, presenting an opportunity for industry expansion. This study provides valuable insights into consumer preferences for goat meat. A sample of 1,015 Floridians was randomly assigned to a control and three treatment groups that included information about the health and/or environmental benefits of goat meat. Results show a significant difference in willingness to pay for goat meat under different information treatments. Persuasive marketing campaigns can increase consumers' preferences for goat meat by raising awareness of the health and environmental benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nature-based tourism offers several positive effects, including bringing tourists closer to nature and increasing environmental awareness among them, creating new sources of employment, diversifying local and regional economies, promoting the conservation of local ecosystems, and protecting biodiversity. A pilot exercise based on choice experiments is presented to estimate the monetary value per year of nature-based tourism (NbT). The exercise was applied in the Jamapa watershed in Mexico, and the results showed that NbT would amount to USD 7.7 million, with tourism activities linked to agroforestry and USD 5.5 million around regenerative cattle ranching. These results provide input for decision makers in developing public policies to benefit society, nature, and sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Accounting for the values placed on nature by the public is key to successful policies in reversing ongoing biodiversity declines. However, biodiversity values are rarely included in policy decisions, resulting in poorer outcomes for people and nature. Our paper addresses an important evidence gap related to the non‐availability of values for appraising large‐scale policies and investment programmes for species recovery and habitat improvement at the national level. We use a stated preference choice modelling approach to estimate household preferences and Willingness to Pay for species recovery and habitat improvement over a wide range of habitats in England. The framing of our stated preference study is crucial to the evidence we develop. Within the study, we define species recovery as incremental improvements to habitat quality and present respondents with choices between conservation policy options that improve different habitat types. We then use the response data to estimate values for habitat quality improvements, and the associated improvements to species presence and abundance. We are thus able to estimate economic benefits for ‘wild species recovery’ simultaneously across a wide range of habitat types. Willingness to pay values for habitat improvement was found to be highest for improvements from ‘moderate’ to ‘full’ species recovery by 2042; and for habitat types which have relatively low current extents in England, such as lowland fens. Policy Implications: biodiversity policy designers can make use of stated preference methods to guide decisions over which aspects of biodiversity targets to focus more resources on, since this enables policy to reflect public preferences, and thus engages higher public support for conservation. In our specific data and context, this implies prioritising the restoration of species recovery to high levels and focussing resources on scarcer rather than more abundant habitat types. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Carbon labeling of forest fruit products is an important approach to guide consumers toward low-carbon consumption and achieve agricultural carbon neutrality. This study employs a choice experiment method, taking Huyou Pomelo as an example, based on survey data from 1,108 consumers in five cities: Hangzhou, Shanghai, Nanjing, Hefei, and Beijing. This study analyzes consumers' preferences and willingness to pay for carbon-labeled Huyou Pomelo and explores their heterogeneous preferences by utilizing the Random Parameters Logit(RPL) model and the Latent Class Analysis(LCA) model. The results show that: (1) Despite the relatively low public awareness of carbon labeling, customers still have a strong willingness to purchase carbon-labeled products. (2) Consumers have an average willingness to pay 7.772 yuan/kg for carbon-labeled attributes, and a complementary relationship exists between carbon and traceability labeling. (3) Consumer age and marital status significantly influence the preferences of consumers to purchase carbon-labeled Huyou. However, no significant differences exist in purchasing intent based on gender, education level, income level, or household size. Based on the above conclusions, this study provides recommendations for Huyou producers in consumer market segmentation and for the government to improve carbon labeling-related systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a representative survey with 1317 individuals and 12,815 moral decisions, we elicit Swedish citizens' preferences on how algorithms for self‐driving cars should be programmed in cases of unavoidable harm to humans. Participants' choices in different dilemma situations (treatments) show that, at the margin, the average respondent values the lives of passengers and pedestrians equally when both groups are homogeneous and no group is to blame for the dilemma. In comparison, the respondent values the lives of passengers more when the pedestrians violate a social norm, and less when the pedestrians are children. Furthermore, we explain why the average respondent in the control treatment needs to be compensated with two to six passengers spared in order to sacrifice the first pedestrian, even though she values the lives of passengers and pedestrians equally at the margin. We conclude that respondents' choices are highly contextual and consider the age of the persons involved and whether these persons have complied with social norms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accounting for the values placed on nature by the public is key to successful policies in reversing ongoing biodiversity declines. However, biodiversity values are rarely included in policy decisions, resulting in poorer outcomes for people and nature.Our paper addresses an important evidence gap related to the non‐availability of values for appraising large‐scale policies and investment programmes for species recovery and habitat improvement at the national level.We use a stated preference choice modelling approach to estimate household preferences and Willingness to Pay for species recovery and habitat improvement over a wide range of habitats in England.The framing of our stated preference study is crucial to the evidence we develop. Within the study, we define species recovery as incremental improvements to habitat quality and present respondents with choices between conservation policy options that improve different habitat types. We then use the response data to estimate values for habitat quality improvements, and the associated improvements to species presence and abundance. We are thus able to estimate economic benefits for 'wild species recovery' simultaneously across a wide range of habitat types.Willingness to pay values for habitat improvement was found to be highest for improvements from 'moderate' to 'full' species recovery by 2042; and for habitat types which have relatively low current extents in England, such as lowland fens.Policy Implications: biodiversity policy designers can make use of stated preference methods to guide decisions over which aspects of biodiversity targets to focus more resources on, since this enables policy to reflect public preferences, and thus engages higher public support for conservation. In our specific data and context, this implies prioritising the restoration of species recovery to high levels and focussing resources on scarcer rather than more abundant habitat types. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many countries are actively promoting a community solar program, which is a community energy program centered on solar photovoltaic power generation, as a public participation-type energy policy. In this study, we analyze the preferences of potential participants in community solar programs from the perspective of policymakers to identify public acceptance and draw policy implications. As a methodology, the choice experiment with a stated preference method is used to analyze the preferences on the individual attributes of community solar energy in terms of business model targeting Korean who are the potential participants. Furthermore, we observed the homogeneity of preferences within each group and the heterogeneity of preferences between groups by dividing the groups based on the latent class model estimation. The results of this study show that the attributes of the community solar program, such as the operating agent, contract period, expected return, and participatory management, have a significant impact on the acceptance of potential consumers, and that there are clear differences between potential classes. The results can be used as basic data for the community energy projects and can contribute to designing succecesful energy policies not only for Korea but also for governments of other countries pursuing carbon neutrality.

Creating measurable ecological accounting units has become a point of emphasis in valuing ecosystem services. Understanding which ecological endpoints, which emanate from biophysical production functions, are important to individuals could help to create measurable ecological accounting units. Using two semi-arid riparian ecosystems we create a suite of ecological endpoints and using benefits transfer techniques compare their ability to be transferred to similar riparian ecosystems. If clearly defined, ecological accounting units can be developed for ecosystem services. This could lead to ecosystem services being properly incorporated into benefit cost analyses that maximize economic product of both market and non-market goods and services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study how freelancers' profile pictures affect hiring decisions and matching outcomes in online labor marketplaces. Profile pictures are a key component of many freelancing platforms, a design choice that can impact hiring and matching outcomes. In this paper, we examine how appearance-based perceptions of a freelancer's fit for the job (i.e., whether a freelancer "looks the part" for the job), as inferred from profile pictures, can impact hiring outcomes on such platforms. Leveraging computer vision techniques and choice models, we analyze six-month data from Freelancer.com (63,014 completed jobs that received 2,042,198 applications from 160,014 freelancers) and find that, above and beyond demographics and beauty, freelancers who "look the part" are more likely to be hired. Interestingly, we do not find a strong correlation between "looking the part" and job performance. Supplementing our large-scale observational study with two choice experiments, we find that (i) the effect of perceived job fit is stronger when reputation systems are not sufficiently diagnostic to differentiate candidates and (ii) that by considering perceptions of job fit, participants are more likely to choose freelancers with fewer reviews, lower ratings, and/or without certifications. Last, we find that "platform recommendations" can only partially mitigate the unintended consequences of profile pictures, and recommending multiple freelancers can further increase the role of "looking the part." History: Puneet Manchanda served as the senior editor for this article. Supplemental Material: The data files and online appendices are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mksc.2022.1425. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forests offer a diverse range of ecosystem services for humans. For example, forests provide the space for passive recreational activities such as camping, hiking and bird watching. These activities are appealing to residents of all ages and in particular to those who cannot engage in more active recreational activities involving substantial expenditure of physical energy. The literature that examines the economic viability of developing passive recreational activities in forest ecosystems in developing countries is limited. Thus, using the Rio Hondo Community Forest in Puerto Rico as a case study, this study seeks to (1) estimate the benefits and costs of passive recreational opportunities, some of the nonmarket goods and services this forest offers, and (2) conduct a cost–benefit analysis to determine the economic viability of developing passive recreational activities. The results from this paper show that, in general, the residents prefer passive recreational activities demanding less effort. The development of such activities is economically viable. This study seeks to encourage inclusive forest management, ensuring that all groups of residents benefit from the forest, while simultaneously emphasizing sustainable practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate US consumers' willingness to pay for cotton apparel production and country of origin attributes. Using a choice‐based conjoint experiment and information treatments, we examine the preferences of 727 US shoppers for the attributes: cotton fiber production systems and country of manufacture of the cotton fiber. Random utility theory is the basis for the survey's responses analysis to estimate willingness to pay (WTP) values for the attributes. Choices made by consumers are modeled using a mixed logit model in WTP space estimated using simulated maximum likelihood procedures. Results show that consumers are willing to pay more for cotton apparel from the United States than apparel from other countries, and more for apparel made from fiber produced in organic systems than in conventional systems. Only some subgroups of consumers were found to be affected by exposure to an information treatment regarding potential labor exploitation in cotton farms and textile mills. [EconLit Citations: D12]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Accurate collection of response times is one of the main advantages of web-administered stated choice experiments and it can be thought of as a behavioral indicator of cognitive effort. We use data from a food choice experiment administered across three countries and estimate a panel Mixed Multinomial Logit Model to obtain individual-specific utility weights. These are used to construct two utility-based measures of contextual choice complexity, which are combined with subjective measures of cognitive resources as well as indicators of opt-out selection. We first develop and then test hypothesized effects of complexity at the level of single choice task and choice sequence on response times. By using a log-linear random effects model with choice task response-time as dependent variable, we isolate these effects from other background variables. Results suggest that as our measures of complexity increase, so do response times and such effects are robust across the three countries. We argue that these results broadly support the validity of web-based choice surveys to measure food preference. We suggest that computers can help improve survey design by implementing algorithms to improve the overall efficiency of choice tasks design, for example, by using adaptive design algorithms that control cognitive challenges in accordance with the respondent's predicted ability to tackle cognitive effort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this research was to economically assess the implementation of an improvement program with four intervention areas in El Chico National Park, Hidalgo, Mexico. This study utilized the methodology of discrete choice experiments, which was conducted with 23 participants using the citizen's jury approach. By means of a mixed logit model, it was found that the total willingness to pay for the implementation of the improvements in the park was $0.95 USD above the current rate. The most valued area of intervention was regulation of visits, followed by actions to improve forest health and the continuous training of guards. The levels of intervention related to fuel management were not significant. These preferences must be considered by the decision-makers and administrators of the park in order to integrate the opinions of the people who live in this protected natural area and its zone of influence and decide whether they coincide with its conservation goals, in accordance with current environmental legislation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health issues and the production of differentiated foods influence the consumers' decisions and lead them to opt for products with particular organoleptic characteristics. The objective of this research was to estimate the preferences and willingness to pay for antibiotic-free pork in the municipality of Texcoco, State of Mexico, in order to determine the existence or absence of an incentive for the commercialization of antibiotic-free pork. The Discrete Choice Method of Experiments was used. The attributes considered in the design were: color, fat content, and presence of antibiotics. A survey of 196 consumers was carried out for this purpose. The results were analyzed with the NLOGIT 4.0 software, using a mixed logit model. The most valued attribute was antibiotic content, which means that respondents would be willing to pay an additional premium of $30.65 MXN/kg for antibiotic-free pork. It was found that the higher the income and the higher the frequency of pork consumption, the greater the willingness to pay an additional premium for antibiotic-free meat. A WTP of $5.78 MXN was determined for meat with normal fat, and of $3.73 MXN for red meat. Pork consumers in the eastern part of the State of Mexico would be willing to pay an additional premium for antibiotic-free pork and for such quality aspects as fat content and color. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to maintain the provision of high-quality ecosystem services in wetlands, it is important to protect the ecosystems through the designation of protected areas. However, the process of designating protected areas can potentially give rise to social conflicts or problems by the acquisition of private lands. As an alternative, the institution of payments for ecosystem services (PES) can be a more viable solution. This study intends to propose reasonable contract standards for PES that consider the preferences of both beneficiaries and providers, which are necessary for the successful introduction of PES in wetland protection areas in Korea. In doing so, we employed choice experiments to estimate the willingness to pay (WTP) and willingness to accept (WTA) of different stakeholders. Our findings indicate that both beneficiaries and providers had a positive perception of PES contract terms. Moreover, the WTP and WTA values were comparable, suggesting that the unit price of PES could be determined within a reasonable range. These results can serve as a foundation for acquiring additional funds required for the introduction of PES in wetland protected areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chinese government has recently introduced an updated beef quality-grade system. We implemented a shelf-simulation choice experiment and estimated random parameter logit models with error components to analyse Chinese consumer willingness to pay for domestic and imported beef flank labelled with the new quality grades and other relevant beef labels. Results indicated that Chinese consumers were willing to pay more for Premium quality domestic beef compared to ungraded beef, while Regular quality beef was discounted by consumers, particularly for imported beef. The results suggest that foreign beef producers could compete more closely with domestic beef if it was labelled as Premium quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nature-based tourism offers several positive effects, including bringing tourists closer to nature and increasing environmental awareness among them, creating new sources of employment, diversifying local and regional economies, promoting the conservation of local ecosystems, and protecting biodiversity. A pilot exercise based on choice experiments is presented to estimate the monetary value per year of nature-based tourism (NbT). The exercise was applied in the Jamapa watershed in Mexico, and the results showed that NbT would amount to USD 7.7 million, with tourism activities linked to agroforestry and USD 5.5 million around regenerative cattle ranching. These results provide input for decision makers in developing public policies to benefit society, nature, and sustainable development.

Abstract Agricultural research institutes in Sub-Sahara Africa have focused on establishing farmer groups that facilitate the commercial production and marketing of African Indigenous Vegetables (AIVs) to address food and nutritional security. With the freedom of selecting the choices of market outlets, we explored the factors such as farmers’ characteristics, farm attributes, selling preferences, social relations, and other primary reasons that influence farmers' decision to choose a particular outlet to sell AIVs. A purposive random survey was conducted among the AIV farmers to understand the preferred market outlets for AIVs in Zambia. The results of the multinomial logit model indicate that male respondents are more likely to choose intermediary options to sell AIVs, particularly brokers and wholesalers. The rainfed farmers and those who receive primary income from farming activities are less likely to choose retailers and wholesalers to market their AIVs. Similarly, those who expect instant payment for their produce indicate that they are less likely to prefer retailers and brokers. Farmers who belong to the farmer's group exhibited a positive coefficient, meaning that they are more likely to choose intermediary options to sell their AIVs compared with the farmer-to-consumer direct sales option. However, good price, a positive momentum of AIVs price in the past, and processing activities were found to be insignificant determinants for market outlet choices when compared with farmer-to-consumer direct outlet option. Our findings could help to better cognize AIVs marketing channels and develop the intervention for new farmers to make an informed decision as to how best to market their AIVs.

• A choice experiment was used to assess tourist preferences and willingness to pay for the conservation of a national intangible cultural heritage. • The results show that tourists have a strong preference and high willingness to pay for the performance and inheritance of the intangible cultural heritage. • The models reveal the heterogeneity of respondent preferences, providing empirical support for diversified conservation strategies in practice. The conservation and inheritance of intangible cultural heritage is of great significance to local communities and all mankind. Combining intangible cultural heritage with tourism is considered to be a viable mechanism to support and protect the heritage. This study aims to assess tourist preference and willingness to pay for various conservation measures by taking the national intangible cultural heritage of the Changdao fishermen's work song as a case study. Based on 892 respondents, the analysis showed that tourists have a strong preference and high willingness to pay for the performance and inheritance of the Changdao fishermen's work song. This implies that Changdao fishermen's work song may contribute to socioeconomic development. The results provide valuable practical implications for the conservation of intangible cultural heritage. Additionally, the random parameters logit model with error component (RPL-EC) and the latent class (LC) logit model reveal the heterogeneity of respondent preferences, providing empirical support for diversified conservation strategies in practice. Finally, this study further validates the applicability of the choice experiments method in the assessment of intangible cultural heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted a combined sensory and discrete choice experiment study with a 100% beef burger, a plant‐based burger using pea protein, a plant‐based burger using animal‐like protein, and a blended burger with 70% beef and 30% mushroom involving US consumers. Respondents were either assigned to a blind or an informed tasting condition with information about the ingredients before tasting the burgers. Results reveal that (i) beef burgers are preferred over alternatives, (ii) consumers favor blended burgers over alternatives in the blind condition but demand decreases in the informed condition; (iii) consumers prefer the plant‐based burger with animal‐like protein over the one with pea protein. Related Content: Meet the meatless: Demand for new generation plant‐based meat alternatives [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The increasing numbers of wild animals in Europe is leading, on the one hand, to growing problems stemming from their interaction with human activities. On the other, many European countries have still not developed national supply chains to market wild game. Instead, these supply chains could represent a win–win strategy in providing a sustainable alternative to production via intensive livestock farming and developing rural territories. Our aim was to understand consumer behaviour towards wild game meat. We conducted a choice experiment on wild boar meat on a sample of Italian consumers (625). The application of a hybrid model combining a structural equation model and a latent class analysis allowed us to identify the antecedents of attitude towards wild game meat and to analyse consumer choices by utilising attitude as an explanatory variable. The results provide useful suggestions to implement rural development policies and offer food for thought in the area of consumer behaviour.

As more physiologists start to incorporate animal behavior into their experiments, especially in the olfactory behavior research field, some considerations are often overlooked, partly due to the inherited way that physiological experiments are traditionally designed and performed. Here we highlight some of these subtle but important considerations and make a case for why these might affect the results collected from behavioral assays. Our aim is to provide useful suggestions for increased standardization of methods so they can be more easily replicated among different experiments and laboratories. We have focused on areas that are less likely to be mentioned in the materials and methods section of a manuscript such as starvation, preliminary experiments, appropriate sample sizes and considerations when choosing an odorant for an assay. Additionally, we are strongly cautioning against the use of alarm cue to generate behavioral responses due to its highly unstable chemical properties/potency. Instead, we suggest using pure chemicals (made up of one known molecule) such as amino acids, bile acids, or polyamines that are commercially available and easier to make up in known concentrations. Lastly, we strongly suggest using environmentally relevant concentrations of these odorants. We believe these guidelines will help standardize these assays and improve replication of experiments within and between laboratories. [Display omitted] • We provide considerations when performing olfactory behavioral tests. • These include using appropriate samples sizes, pure chemicals as odorants at environmentally relevant concentrations. • Avoid starving animals when testing predator odorants and avoid using alarm cue. • Use appropriate lighting and avoid air exposure of the animal when transferring from exposure tank to the behavioral arena. • These are aimed at increasing reproducibility of results in this research field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tequila has a designation of origin by which it can only be produced with the blue agave ( Agave tequilana Weber blue variety) grown in certain regions of Mexico. For several decades, an intensive asexual technique of reproduction has prevailed in the tequila industry. This has not only been detrimental for the agave’s genetic diversity, but it has also harmed bat populations. The low levels of diversity have increased the agave’s exposure to pests and diseases and have limited the possibilities for artificial selection of beneficial characteristics that can improve production. Arguably, with the cooperation of producers and consumers, it is possible to have an environmentally friendly and resilient production system. We focus on the agave producers and analyze their willingness to let some of their plants flower in exchange of some monetary and non-monetary benefits. By analyzing data from a choice experiment, we show that farmers are willing to let some of their plants flower even when they only receive partial compensation for the value of the plants. Farmers also show a willingness to participate in a conservation program if they receive a non-monetary transfer or expect an increase in yield because of the program. Our results provide a relevant piece of information that can help policymakers, producers, NGOs, and other participants in the tequila industry, in the design of effective strategies that can lead to the genetic conservation of blue agave and the protection of magueyero bats.