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New energy vehicles (NEVs) have emerged as a promising solution to reduce carbon emissions and address environmental concerns in the transportation sector. In order to effectively accelerate market acceptance, it is crucial to prioritize the heterogeneity of consumer preferences for NEV attributes. This study employs the multinomial logit model (MNL) and latent class model (LCM) to investigate both observed and unobserved preference heterogeneity based on stated preferences obtained from a discrete choice experiment conducted across seven cities in China. Results from the MNL model indicate that all attributes significantly influence alternative utility. In particular, there are differences in the willingness to pay (WTP) for attributes of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). Analysis of MNL subgroups reveals observed heterogeneity in WTP for identical attributes among consumers from regions with different latitudes and markets with different NEV penetration rates. Furthermore, the LCM model uncovers unobserved preference heterogeneity by classifying respondents into four distinct classes and identifies specific socioeconomic variables associated with each class. The recognition of heterogeneous WTP for NEV attributes across vehicle types, regions, markets, and consumer classes provides important implications for formulating targeted policies that promote the sustainable development of the NEV industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the recreational value of the Helen protected forest area, incorporating the new environmental paradigm into economic valuation. Visitors' willingness to pay and its association with scores reflecting the new environmental paradigm were assessed through contingent valuation and a dual-dimensional questionnaire. Two models are employed: a base model with socio-economic variables and a model integrating new environmental paradigm. Results indicate that 83.04% of visitors are willing to pay for recreational use. The proposed amount, visit frequency, new environmental paradigm, age, gender, education, and income were found to significantly influence the acceptance of willingness to pay. Results indicated a strong positive correlation exists between new environmental paradigm and willingness to pay, highlighting the influence of environmental perspective. Average willingness to pay per household per visit is IRR 190,390.4 (USD 0.53), translating to an annual recreational value of IRR 22,629,264,215 (USD 64,088) for the entire Helen forest. The average new environmental paradigm scores for visitors stand at 57.36, with the statement "plants and animals have similar rights to humans" receiving the highest score of 28.4. These findings emphasize the importance of considering environmental perspectives in managing recreational sites. Integrating a new environmental paradigm into valuation methods can inform sustainable management strategies that balance economic development with environmental conservation and social well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's per capita dairy consumption has been far below the intake level recommended by the World Health Organization. Since the dairy industry is a significant contributor to carbon emissions, the recently launched "Double‐Carbon" goals in China may also suppress the supply of dairy products, further reducing Chinese residents' dairy intake. While the notion of sustainable (i.e., nutritious and environmentally friendly) food consumption has recently gained popularity in the policy arena, whether Chinese milk consumers are ready to embrace this notion and what specific measures can effectively promote sustainable milk consumption in China remain unclear. On the basis of a discrete choice experiment, this paper examines how information nudges (i.e., randomly provided messages with different contents and details) may steer Chinese consumers into choosing liquid milk products with attributes that are more nutritious and environmentally friendly. Our analysis, involving 839 consumers randomly selected from Beijing, China, shows that consumers value carbon labels the most, followed by nutrition claims, sustainable production claims, and energy conservation certificates. Meanwhile, nutrition information induces consumers to place higher values on nutrition claims; in contrast, environmental information raises consumers' willingness to choose environmental sustainability‐related attributes. Finally, the concreteness of the information provided strengthens these effects [EconLit Citations: D12, Q01, Q13, Q18]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iranian nomads' meat and dairy products are organic and more valuable than conventional products for trading and supplying in local markets. This is due to the use of natural nutritional supplementation, without hormones and artificial chemicals, in breeding domestic animals. However, the real value of the organic products is not reflected in the market. In this regard, we studied the feasibility of forming a local market for nomads' organic meat and milk products in Iran. This study used a sample of 366 questionnaires from nomads of five famous tribes, namely Soleimani, Mehni, Kochomi, Jebalbarezi, and Aieneyi in Kerman province and 794 questionnaires from non-nomadic consumers. The results indicate that nomads' average willingness to accept (WTA) was 0.46 USD per liter and 5.64 USD per kg in the sale of organic milk and organic meat, respectively. Also, the consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) for organic milk and organic meat was 0.50 USD per liter and 6.15 USD per kg, respectively. Since the WTA for both products was less than the WTP, the formation and development of local markets in supplying organic products are possible. The appropriate price policy for organic products in such markets can provide nomads with financial benefits and consumers with access to healthy foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Societal Impact Statement: Although significant advances have been made in implementing international mechanisms to support the benefit sharing of natural resources in low and middle income countries, there are limited practical examples. Our research examines how the ornamental horticulture sector might be able to meet its benefit sharing requirements. Employing a consumer survey, we reveal the potential for monetary benefit sharing to emerge for plants with Known Wild Provenance. Our results indicate that although consumers value plants that have their Known Wild Provenance clearly labelled, the magnitude of this estimate is insufficient to generate meaningful monetary benefits. Summary: The global trade in ornamental plants is significant and growing. Historically, the relationship between the acquisition of novel plants from the wild for use in ornamental horticulture has been referred to as plant hunting. However, questions are now being raised about the ethical utilisation of biological resources and if those countries providing access to material from the wild are receiving adequate benefits. It is in this context that we examine if plants of Known Wild Provenance (KWP) are valued by UK consumers, and if a potential premium could be the basis of a benefit‐sharing agreement.Employing a choice experiment, we assess consumers' preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for KWP.Our analysis reveals that KWP did not prove to be a strong driver for plant buyers.Although a positive WTP is generated it is relatively small. Thus, the ability of commercial horticulture to provide monetary benefits to support benefit sharing is likely limited. This result raises questions as to how benefit sharing might then be implemented if buyers of plants are not prepared to pay a price premium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smallholder farmers' decisions to adopt improved varieties are expected to be critically governed by their preferences and willingness to pay for different traits of these varieties. This study examined farmers' preferences for sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) variety attributes and estimated their willingness to pay (WTP) for these attributes using choice experiment data from >1,300 sorghum farmers in Tanzania. Empirical findings showed that farmers had strong preferences for sorghum varieties that were tolerant to environmental stresses, high yielding, early maturing, fetching higher grain prices, and white in color. Significant heterogeneity was observed in farmers' preferences across various traits. The WTP estimates revealed that farmers were willing to pay the highest premium for tolerance to environmental stresses, amounting, on average, to three times higher than the WTP for other traits. Our results have important implications for demand-driven variety development that could contribute to improving crop productivity and household welfare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Promoting the transition from animal meat to plant-based food consumption has significant benefits for public health and environmental sustainability. This study, involving 526 consumers from Beijing, China, explores how food attributes and information may affect consumers' food choices concerning plant-based meat products. A discrete choice experiment was conducted using burgers with five attributes (meat patties, flavor, sodium content, energy, and price) as the focal product. Separate messages on nutrition, food safety, and the environmental issues related to plant-based meat consumption were also randomly provided to consumers to help examine the role of information. Our findings suggest that Beijing consumers' awareness of plant-based meat is relatively low at present, and they show a negative preference toward plant-based meat consumption relative to that of conventional meat. However, consumers' willingness to pay for plant-based meat significantly increased after nutrition information was provided, but it was not responsive to the provision of food safety or environmental information. These findings suggest that to promote plant-based meat consumption, information closely related to consumers' personal interests rather the "greater good" should be provided, at least in the context of Beijing, China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study addresses the question whether an 'attention reminder' in discrete choice experiments (DCE) affects preferences, willingness to pay (WTP), and attribute non-attendance (ANA). We report on an experiment which elicited preferences for livestock market facilities from 960 randomly selected farm households in Ethiopia. Basic diagnostic comparisons of the estimations showed that taste parameters are significantly different and the WTP values of two (out of eight) facilities are different between before and after the reminder. Latent class model based ANA analysis revealed that the reminder has increased fully compensatory choice behavior [full attention] among sample respondents. The mixed logit models estimated in WTP space also showed that the WTP values are slightly smaller for most of the facilities after the reminder. In terms of relative importance, veterinary clinic, fenced shed, and watering trough facilities are the three livestock market facilities valued most by the farm households both before and after the reminder. Our results imply that researchers studying behaviors of rural communities in developing countries using DCEs might be able to address issues related to heuristics if they reminded respondents of the need to pay attention to all elements in the experiment unless understanding the choice decision making process itself is the point of interest. Empirically, livestock market development initiatives need to take into account farmers' clear and consistent prioritization of the market facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing nutrient runoff from sugarcane production into the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) has become a major policy focus for the Queensland and Australian Governments. This study explores consumer willingness to pay (WTP) to achieve higher environmental standards for sugar originating from the GBR catchments, through the use of a GBR‐safe ecolabel. A Best‐Worst Scaling (BWS) and a Contingent Valuation (CV) experiment are conducted on a random sample of 1,100 Australian residents. The BWS experiment reveals that personal health considerations are more important than sustainability and environmental factors, including impacts on the GBR. Results of the CV experiment show that respondents are more likely to pay a premium to support Reef‐friendly sugar if they are living in urban areas, plan to visit the GBR in the future, think that the GBR condition has declined, and are generally concerned about keeping a healthy diet. We estimate that the average WTP is $24.5/year/household, which only represents 0.34 per cent of the average weekly grocery bill of Australian households. This small contribution through increased sugar prices could conservatively raise $46.9M/year in support of sugar producers to improve water quality in the GBR. Based on these results, we recommend policy‐makers consider instruments that further involve sugar consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Authorities regulate online transactions to protect consumers from unintended negative consequences. Regulatory cues (e.g. certifications) enable consumers to identify formally approved online gambling offers where unauthorized products are available and blocking access is difficult. However, consumers who gamble online are also influenced by peer endorsement and frequently search for peer usage information to make decisions. This study investigates the interaction of regulatory and social cues and shows that these can be either complementary or substitutionary from a consumer perspective. Australian undergraduate students (N= 195, 72.3% female) indicated preferences toward fictitious online gambling websites in a discrete choice experiment involving active searching for cues. The impact of regulatory cues on decision-making increased when social cues indicated high quantities of website users, and when respondents lacked general trust toward gambling websites, but decreased when user social proximity was signaled. Our preliminary findings suggest regulatory cues should be prominent, and policies could aim to heighten mistrust in unauthorized sites. This study provides a foundation for further research designed to inform consumer protection agencies about how to influence consumer choice of online gambling websites in settings where regulatory and social cues may compete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Therefore, we selected the individual WTP corresponding to the highest improved level for each of the 4 attributes (so-called attribute level) and used them as dependent variables in the OLS regression to explore the determinants of the attribute-level WTP. Valuing high-seas ecosystem conservation Specifically, we aimed to determine how much respondents were willing to pay for conserving high-seas ecosystems, which factors influenced the individual WTP for high-seas ecosystems conservation and to what extent, and whether an individual residing in Canada had a higher WTP for high-seas ecosystems conservation compared with those living in Norway and Scotland. Men had a higher WTP for the health attribute (€8.1), being a member of environmental organizations attracted higher value to multi-attribute (€8.2), and those with higher education also had a higher WTP for the litter attribute (€5.5) and multi-attribute (€2.8). [Extracted from the article]

Evidence points to past bee-mediated crop pollination deficits in Chanthaburi province, Eastern Thailand. Conversely, no such evidence has yet been reported for Chiang Mai province (Northern Thailand), suggesting that wild pollination is delivered there above the requirements of local orchards. Discrete choice experiments (DCE) were conducted to elicit the preferences of pollinator-dependent orchard farmers with regard to three pollinator conservation measures and their possible effects on of native bee populations in each region. We fitted random parameter logit (RPL) models on the resulting data to capture preference heterogeneity and to obtain willingness to pay (WTP) point estimates. To test our results' robustness, we also inspected for scale heterogeneity by fitting generalized mixed logit (GMXL) models on the pooled and individual datasets. This yielded WTP space estimates (i.e., directly from WTP distributions) and made possible the comparison of farmers' preferences for a native bee conservation policy in both regions. The results hint at significant WTP differences for some of the conservation policy attributes between both provinces. Furthermore, unobserved contributions to choice seem to have been more random in Chiang Mai. Our analyses also suggest that farmers who engage in bee-related activities are WTP more for a conservation policy that includes bee husbandry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The success of machine-learning methods is spreading their use to many different fields. This paper analyses one of these methods, the Kernel Logistic Regression (KLR), from the point of view of Random Utility Model (RUM) and proposes the use of the KLR to specify the utilities in RUM, freeing the modeler from the need to postulate a functional relation between the features. A Monte Carlo simulation study is conducted to empirically compare KLR with the Multinomial Logit (MNL) method, the Support Vector Machine (SVM) and the Random Forests (RF). We have shown that, using simulated data, KLR is the only method that achieves maximum accuracy and leads to an unbiased willingness-to-pay estimator for non-linear phenomena. In a real travel mode choice problem, RF achieved the highest predictive accuracy, followed by KLR. However, KLR allows for the calculation of indicators such as the value of time, which is of great importance in the context of transportation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In many regions, the scenic beauty of landscapes, and a high degree of 'naturalness', are paramount for tourism. The focus of the paper is on empirical estimates of the benefits of nature conservation programs in regard to different degrees of naturalness in two regions in the Austrian Alps. The results of an on-site survey indicate that most respondents would accept stricter nature conservation policies including restrictions of access to ecologically sensitive areas. The respondents indicated a willingness to pay of at least EUR 1.50 per person a night for improved conservation programs. The results suggest that these tourists not only prefer policies that improve naturalness, they actually expect them. It should be noted that the preferences of tourists differ between regions, as well as socio-economic attributes. The concept of the degree of naturalness may facilitate the transfer of benefits to other regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In Malaysia, one million individuals are estimated to be infected with the hepatitis B virus. A vaccine for infants has been compulsory since 1989, whereas those born before 1989 need to spend their own money to be vaccinated in private clinics or hospitals. The aim of this study was to investigate and ascertain the determinants of willingness to pay (WTP) for adult hepatitis B vaccine in Selangor, Malaysia. Methods: In 2016, 728 households were selected through a stratified, two stage cluster sample and interviewed. Willingness to pay for hepatitis B vaccine was estimated using the Contingent Valuation Method, and factors affecting WTP were modelled with logit regression. Results: We found that 273 (37.5%) of the households were willing to pay for hepatitis B vaccination. The mean and median of WTP was estimated at Ringgit Malaysia (RM)303 (approximately US$73) for the three dose series. The estimated WTP was significantly greater in those with higher levels of education, among Malays and Chinese (compared to others, predominantly Indians), and for those with greater perceived susceptibility to hepatitis B virus infection. Other factors–perceived severity, barriers, benefits and cues to action–were not significantly associated with WTP for adult hepatitis B vaccination. Conclusion: Additional resources are needed to cover the households that are not willing to pay for hepatitis B vaccination. More awareness (particularly in regards to hepatitis B virus susceptibility) could change the national perception towards self-paid hepatitis B virus vaccination and increase hepatitis B vaccine coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Free distribution of irrigation water in many plains of Urimye and low price of water has led to inefficient use and allocation of scarce water resources. Charging an affordable price for irrigation water will help increase water efficiency, reduce water demand, managing irrigation systems and covering distribution costs. As water price reflect the opportunity cost of water, it largely dependents on the farmers' willingness to pay. In this study, we estimated farmers' willingness to pay (WTP) for agricultural water by using contingent valuation method (CVM), and we analyzed it with the bootstrap simulation method. We collected the data from 134 farmers in the riverbank of "Siminehrood" in "Boukan plain" by using random sample method. The CVM and bootstrap results show that the average willingness to pay for each cubic meter of water, are 477.48 and 438.47 riyals respectively. Ages of farmers, cultivated area, agricultural and auxiliary income are main significant factors of farmers' willingness to pay. Based on the results, setting appropriate water price policy and participating farmers in making decision-making on water pricing will result a better allocation of irrigation water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract : In China, the distribution of water resources is incompatible with the development of productivity. The construction of South-to-North Water Diversion Project has achieved inter-basin water diversion, and the project can alleviate the uneven distribution of water resources phenomenon effectively. However, in recent years, the aggregate effects of water pollution and water resource shortages have been serious. Establishing transverse eco-compensation mechanisms becomes the key method to achieve sustainable use of water resources. Based on statistical and questionnaire data, this paper uses the Opportunity Costs Method and Willingness to Pay approach to establish a transverse eco-compensation standard calculation model for the Middle Route Project of the Southto-North Water Diversion. The results show that the upper and lower limits of the transverse eco-compensation standard for the Middle Route Project is $2.52 billion and $2.20 billion every year, respectively. However, the paying and receiving standards varied widely among different compensation payers and compensation receivers. Meanwhile, the significant factors influencing the paying willingness of the receiver area citizens were age, education level, average revenue per month, knowledge about the South-to-North Water Diversion Project and recognition of the importance of eco-environmental integrity. This study began with a theoretical analysis, then analysed related problems related to calculating transverse eco-compensation standards for the Middle Route Project of the South-to-North Water Diversion by an empirical study. This empirical study helps to establish effective transverse eco-compensation mechanisma and promotea the development of effective policies and legislation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this work is to estimate willingness to pay (WTP) for minority (African-American and Hispanic) homeowners in Florida for private and public wildfire risk-reduction programs and also to test for differences in response between the two groups. A random parameter logit and latent class model allowed us to determine if there is a difference in wildfire mitigation program preferences, whether WTP is higher for public or private actions for wildfire risk reduction, and whether households with personal experience and who perceive that they live in higher-risk areas have significantly higher WTP. We also compare Florida minority homeowners' WTP values with Florida original homeowners' estimates. Results suggest that Florida minority homeowners are willing to invest in public programs, with African-Americans WTP values at a higher rate than Hispanics. In addition, the highest priority for cost-sharing funds would go to low-income homeowners, especially to cost-share private actions on their own land. These results may help fire managers optimise allocation of scarce cost-sharing funds for public v. private actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice has been identified as an important food security crop in Ghana. However, there is a production deficit and new technologies to reduce the deficit are not widely adopted. Although poor adoption by farmers' is often linked to constraints such as access to information, farmers' perceptions of the technologies are also important. We apply an advanced discrete choice experiment to evaluate farmers' preferences for rice production practices. Specifically, we generate willingness to pay ( WTP) estimates using willingness to pay space ( WS) and compare these with values from the indirect or preference space ( PS) method. Our modelling also accounts for the effects on WTP estimates of farmers' stated attribute importance ( SAI) information. Empirical results from WS and PS models reveal that on average, farmers value higher yields and are negatively affected by higher risk of crop failure and labour requirements. Comparing the performance of the two models, we find the WS model provides a superior fit to our data and reduces the likelihood of producing implausible WTP estimates. Further, SAI inclusion did not produce much variation in our WTP estimates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study used a choice experiment to analyze the preferences of consumers for the attributes of tilapia (price, mode of production, product form, and size), a major aquaculture product in Tanzania. The results showed that consumers were willing to pay a price 665.020 Tanzanian shillings (TZS) lower for farmed tilapia than for wild tilapia; a price TZS 833.210 and TZS 1799.110 higher for medium-size and large-size tilapia respectively than for small-size tilapia; and a price TZS 1214.090 higher for fresh tilapia than for smoked tilapia. Consumers’ willingness to pay less for farmed tilapia than for wild tilapia is mainly attributed to issues related to taste and availability. It was also found that consumers were heterogeneous in their preferences for all the tilapia attributes (mode of production, size, and form) considered in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Although intangible effects on natural environments are not visible and only become apparent over a long period of time, they may cause irreparable damages whose estimation is not always feasible. However, people's willingness to pay (WTP) for the prevention of adverse environmental effects can be determined. The present study addresses the issue of the effect of dust in Yazd-Ardakan Plain. It aims at the valuation of local people's WTP in order to prevent extra-regional intangible effects of dust in Yazd-Ardakan Plain in 2010. The study was based on data collected from 479 questionnaires completed by people in the affected area. Factors affecting local people's WTP and their expected WTP were estimated by logit regression model. It was revealed that among the studied variables, income, education, and environment importance had significant positive effects, and that household size, type of residence, and bid had significant negative effects on people's WTP. Also, the WTP for the conservation of the region was estimated as to be 93.4 billion Iranian Rials (IRR) per year. In other words, it is necessary to invest at least 93.4 billion IRR to prevent the adverse impacts of dust on the plain. Given the 183 billion IRR expenditure for stabilizing sand in the region and the estimated 93.4 billion IRR protection value for the plain, 50 % of expenses would be paid by people living in the region, which paves the way for the fulfillment of conservation programs by experts using public contributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, consumers' willingness to pay for farming, slaughter and processing, distribution and marketing, and government certification information was investigated in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China using an experimental auction and real choice experiment based on incentive compatibility of the nonhypothetical elicitation method. No significant differences in consumers' willingness to pay were revealed by the experimental auction and real choice experiment on the whole, and results from both nonhypothetical experimental methods demonstrated that consumers were willing to pay certain premiums for all four types of traceability information and had the highest willingness to pay for government certification information. These results indicate that consumers trust in pork safety protection under governmental supervision. Moreover, it was found that government certification information played a significant role in improving consumer utility, demonstrating that consumers paid close attention to safety risks in farming. Therefore, this study predicts that the introduction of governmental supervision into the pork traceability system and establishment of a system for collecting traceability information starting from the stage of pig farming will play important roles in meeting consumer demands for pork quality and safety, as well as promoting the development of traceable food policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Italian market, voluntary certifications implying higher levels of animal welfare generally fall into wider production schemes. Despite of the results of EU surveys indicating that about 50% of Italian consumers can easily identify and find animal-friendly products, they still are distributed scarcely or discontinuously in the main retail chains. To assess the apparent contradiction between the intricate information consumers receive from labels and their declared awareness about animal welfare, a survey was conducted in Emilia Romagna region on 355 Italian consumers (face-to-face interviews based on a structured, semi-close-ended questionnaire). Overall, consumers showed a low degree of knowledge about animal welfare attributes, animal farming conditions and animal protection policies (about 30% of correct answers), and a low level of awareness of the effects of their purchasing choices on the welfare of farmed animals (22%). The respondents also showed difficulties in identifying animal-friendly products and often confused them with other certified foods, having sometimes a weak connection (or none at all) to animal welfare (e.g., Protected Designation of Origin products). However, most consumers declared to be ready to pay a premium price in name of animal welfare. In conclusion, a labelling system for the welfare content of animal-derived foods is confirmed to be an effective strategy to compensate the efforts of farmers in improving animal welfare, provided that the information given is clear and able to fill the substantial lack of consumer knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural resources are often victims of development. On the one hand, a freeway is under construction, while on the other hand there are unique natural resources along the route of the freeway. Both of them are essential to us. Thus, we cannot ignore either of them. The purpose of this study is to find the monetary equivalent of the natural resources in response to a challenge between environment and development. Dealing with non-use values, we apply the contingent valuation method (CVM). Our results show that the mean of willingness to pay (WTP) is US$1.84 per household for supporting natural resources along the route of the freeway. Total WTP for supporting natural resources along the route of the freeway is US$77 million annually. The findings indicate that Iranian people have a high sensitivity for supporting natural resources along the route of the freeway. Hence, the government should give more attention to natural resources along the freeway and change its route. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

ABSTRACT Past studies have shown that country of origin labeling (COOL) affects consumers' demand for food products. However, besides the rationale of ethnocentrism or the desire to support domestic farmers, the underlying motivation for such behavior is not well understood. This study assesses consumers' preferences for imported and domestic beef through a choice experiment. We found that willingness to pay for country-of-origin labeled imported beefsteak is associated with (a) consumers' perceptions of the categorical risk from consuming beef, (b) consumers' risk aversion to risks from beef consumption, and (c) consumers' perceptions of the food-safety level of imported beef. Results from this study suggest that the advantage of domestic beef over imported beef can be partly explained by consumers' risk handling behavior. [EconLit citations: Q130]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Markets for specialty products can help conserve rare native breeds and valuable animal genetic resources. This study examines the potential demand for Finnish indigenous cattle meat. The results suggest that Finncattle meat could have successful specialty markets, as 86% of respondents reported that they would like to buy it and about a quarter of respondents would be willing to pay a higher price for it than for conventional meat. The consumer segment with the highest probability of purchase and willingness to pay was particularly characterized by male gender, frequent consumption of meat and environmental concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The knowledge of whether or not consumers are willing to pay a price premiums and the amount of the willingness to pay (WTP) when buying foods with more fiber, vitamins, protein, fat, and less saturated fat shapes food manufacturer and distributor marketing strategies and supports the development of public health programs. In this study we analyze survey data collected in Korea to identify consumer profiles associated with both the binary decision and the level of WTP for foods with nutritionally desired attributes. Results indicate the importance of socio-economic variables, location, variables representing the risk of health problems, implicit lifestyle differences and attributes related to food preparation. [EconLit Classification: Q130, Q180]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate homeowner preferences and willingness to pay for wildfire protection programs using a choice experiment with three attributes: risk, loss and cost. Preference heterogeneity among survey respondents was examined using three econometric models and risk preferences were evaluated by comparing willingness to pay for wildfire protection programs against expected monetary losses. The results showed that while nearly all respondents had risk seeking preferences, a small segment of respondents were risk neutral or risk averse. Only respondents who had personal experience with the effects of wildfire consistently made trade-offs among risk, loss and cost and these respondents were willing to pay more for wildfire protection programs than were respondents without prior experience of the effects of wildfire. The degree to which people with prior experience with the effects of wildfire can effectively articulate an economic rationale for investing in wildfire protection to other members of their own or other communities facing the threat of wildfires may influence the overall success of wildfire protection programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While previous studies have investigated country-of-origin effect from various angles, the extent to which Country-of-Origin Labelling (COOL) affects U.S. beef imports from specific countries remains unexplored. Using data from 1,079 consumers from the United States, we examined consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) for Canadian and Australian beefsteaks. We also estimated WTP for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)-tested traceability-enabled, tenderness-assured, and natural beef. The results from both a mixed logit model and a latent class model (LCM) revealed unobserved taste heterogeneity and important differences in the WTP between the imported and domestic steak. The LCM, for instance, estimated the range of discount needed for consumers to switch from U.S. to Canadian steak as $1.09 to $35.12 per pound. This strongly suggested that U.S. consumers prefer domestic-originated beef to imported beef. In addition, consumers were found to be willing to pay significant amount for BSE-tested, traceability-enabled, and tenderness-assured beef. Bien que des études antérieures aient examiné les répercussions de l'étiquetage du pays d'origine sous différents angles, les répercussions de cet étiquetage obligatoire sur les importations étatsuniennes de bœuf en provenance de pays spécifiques ne l'ont pas été. À l'aide de données tirées d'un échantillon de 1079 consommateurs étatsuniens, nous avons examiné le consentement à payer (CAP) pour du bifteck en provenance du Canada et de l'Australie. Nous avons également examiné le CAP des consommateurs pour du bœuf provenant d'un animal ayant subi un test de dépistage de l'ESB, traçable, de tendreté assurée et naturel. Les résultats obtenus à l'aide d'un modèle logit mixte et d'un modèle à classes latentes ont révélé une hétérogénéité non observée du goût et des écarts importants dans le CAP pour du bifteck provenant des États-Unis et de l'extérieur du pays. Le modèle à classes latentes, par exemple, a révélé que les écarts de rabais nécessaires pour que les consommateurs délaissent le bifteck américain pour le bifteck canadien variaient de 1,09 $à 35,12 $ la livre. Ces résultats montrent clairement que les consommateurs étatsuniens préfèrent le bœuf des États-Unis plutôt que le bœuf importé. Les résultats montrent également que les consommateurs sont prêts à payer plus cher pour du bœuf provenant d'un animal ayant subi un test de dépistage de l'ESB, traçable et de tendreté assurée. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper applies the Contingent Valuation Method using a visitor survey to determine trip values to three rivers in northeastern Puerto Rico. Sample data were obtained from 984 interviews conducted in 13 sites during the summer months. The trip value is statistically decomposed into components representing natural features and recreation activities. The median net economic value of a river visit without waterfalls or foot trails is $96. Recreation at rivers with both waterfalls and foot trails has a median value of $138 per trip. The presence of waterfalls accounts for $23 and foot trails $19 per trip. This information can be pertinent for managers in selecting recreation site locations and protecting them from competing uses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines consumers' willingness to purchase pesticide-free fresh produce (PFFP) in Canada's Maritime Provinces. Households' decisions in purchasing organic foods are reflected in their willingness-to-pay (WTP) a premium for obtaining these types of products. WTP was modeled as a function of a series of explanatory variables including sociodemographic, socioeconomic, media, and public awareness about the impact of pesticide use on health and environment. Results suggest that Maritimes' consumers tend to pay the premium because they believe that the use of pesticide in conventional farming is life threatening. In addition, males and individuals with bachelor degrees are more willing to pay the premium, but those who visit farmers' markets on a regular basis are less likely to pay a premium for pesticide-free fresh fruit and vegetables. Finally, results show that media have no impact on consumers' decisions to purchase pesticide-free fresh produce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contingent valuation method (CVM) was used to estimate homeowners' willingness to pay for water leasing to maintain stable lake levels at an irrigation reservoir in a residential neighborhood. A binary logit model was used to analyze households' voter referendum responses for maintaining the lake level. The median willingness to pay (WTP) was found to be $368 per year for lakefront residents and $59 per year for off-lake residents. The median WTP for lakefront residents was significantly different from off-lake residents at the 90% confidence level. Using the median WTP for lakefront and nonlakefront residents, we found that the increase in homeowner association fees would generate approximately $43,000, enough money to lease sufficient water to reach the target higher lake level in a normal water year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the New South Africa, as in other developing countries, the equitable distribution of public resources is a priority. The case for public support of the arts is thus difficult to make because it has been shown and borne out by South African research, that arts audiences tend to represent the better educated, more prosperous minority of society, not the majority of the very poor, mainly African-origin population. Using data from willingness to pay studies conducted at two South African arts festivals, this paper shows that, when the positive externalities provided by the arts are included in their valuation, it can be shown that both high and low income earners benefit. However, as suggested by Seaman (2003), it is also found that some of what the WTP figure is capturing is current and expected future economic benefit from the event. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many of the observed problems of water management in developing countries are linked to inefficient institutional structures of property rights. This is particularly the case with many public irrigation systems that have never achieved the expected social and economic benefits. in this paper it is argued that the Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) can be applied to evaluate the degree of inefficiency of such institutional structure for the case of one of the most important irrigation systems in Ecuador in the Peninsula of Santa Elena (PSE). The procedure applied consists of eliciting an economic value among irrigators. Thus, Willingness to Pay (WTP) questions are used to value a specific outcome of a policy intended to assure the right to have an efficient management of the canals. The evaluation criterion consists of comparing the resulting economic value with the price currently charged to irrigators. Any deviation is considered an economic rent which is wasted. Thus, CVM is used to investigate the potential benefits of a hypothetical change in the existing property rights structure. The estimation results assert that the pro posed change would provide positive net benefits to water users in the PSE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Although contingent valuation (CV) is the most common technique for valuing nonmarket environmental resources, rarely has it been applied to global environmental goods. This study uses CV in a national survey to assess the value U.S. residents place on tropical rain forest protection. On average, respondents were willing to make a onetime payment of approximately $21–31 per household to protect an additional 5 percent of tropical forests. Although respondents were able to give consistent responses across two different CV formats, focus groups were unwilling or unable to allocate their aggregate rainforest valuations across or among regions or specific rain forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase in the supply of low-carbon agricultural products is crucial to reduce carbon emissions, but the production of such products incurs additional input costs and thus the crux of the low-carbon agricultural products market development lies in how such cost can be shared in a reasonable manner. The increase of consumer willingness to pay and the premium level that consumers would pay for green products hold the key to address this challenge. For that reason, this paper first constructs a behavioral game model to explore how environmental beliefs would affect consumer willingness to pay for the greenness premium. Then, the paper proceeds with empirical analyses on factors influencing consumer willingness to pay for the greenness premium by using micro-survey data of Chinese consumers when facing the choices of low-carbon rice in the cities of central China. The empirical research suggests that, although the average greenness premium that Chinese consumers are willing to pay for low-carbon agricultural products is low, the greenness premium will be stronger when consumers have higher environmental beliefs. We also find the impacts of environmental beliefs on the willingness to pay as well as the greenness premium levels that consumers are willing to pay for low-carbon agricultural products increase with education attainment and family income, but do not change with age. Findings in this study carry several important policy implications. To encourage green consumption that facilitates green production, the government should devote attempts to promote consumers' environmental beliefs and also apply differentiated public policy that targeting at different types of consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frequent food quality and safety issues result in various food inspection measures in China, while some are not widely acknowledged by the public and are less efficient. Consumer demand is significant for priority setting in food policy. This study investigates Chinese consumers' heterogeneous preferences for selected food inspection measures and estimates welfare effects based on willingness-to-pay (WTP) calculation. Rice consumption data from a 2018 nationwide consumer survey designed using the real choice experiment is analyzed by the random parameters logit and the latent class model. The findings reveal that consumers place a high value on government certification, and brand is valuable especially when public management is perceived as weak. However, the insufficient market demand for third-party certification may increase transaction costs due to overlapping functions and consumers' distrust. Moreover, there should be a need to broaden consumers' understanding of traceability and grading systems. This study emphasizes the necessity of direct governmental involvement and the existence of unnecessary policy cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the growing interest of producers and consumers toward grass-fed, local, and organic beef, the supply chain for these products to reach consumers is not always clear-cut. Among the available options are direct-to-consumers and the conventional food supply chain. Although consumers may pay a premium for beef differentiated by quality attributes, the willingness to pay (WTP) difference across point-of-sales is unclear. In this study, we contrast the WTPs for conventional, grass-fed, local, and organic beef by brick-and-mortar supermarkets (B&Ms), farmers’ markets, and via online stores. We conduct a choice experiment with a nationwide online sample of American consumers. The findings indicate that compared to B&Ms, more consumers are reluctant to purchase beef from farmers’ markets and online outlets. Moreover, the WTP for quality-differentiated attributes varies significantly by the point-of-sales. For most consumers, the downside of online or farmers’ markets outweighs the upside of the quality-differentiated attributes sold in those venues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]