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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]

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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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.

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.

In incentive-aligned choice experiments, each decision is realized with some probability, Prob. In three eye-tracking experiments, we study the impact of varying Prob from 0 (as in purely hypothetical choices) to 1 (as in real-life choices) on attention, information processing, and choice. Consistent with the bounded rationality literature, we find that as Prob increases from 0 to 1, consumers process the choice-relevant information more carefully and more comprehensively. Consistent with the psychological distance literature, we find that as Prob increases from 0 to 1, consumers become less novelty seeking and more price sensitive. These findings underscore that even with incentive alignment, preference measurement choice experiments such as choice-based conjoint analyses only represent an approximation of real-life choices. Although it is not feasible to systematically use questions with high Prob in the field, we predict and find that placing a higher probability question (such as an external validity task) at the beginning rather than the end of a questionnaire has a carryover effect on attention and information processing throughout the questionnaire, and it influences preference estimates as well. [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.

Information attributes characterize traceable agri-food. The perceived value of information attributes influences consumers' preferences for traceable agri-food, consisting of two dimensions, predictive value and confidence value. We examine heterogeneous preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) in China's traceable agri-food market. Using the choice experiments, we explore how the traceability information, certification type, region of origin, and price influence Chinese consumers' Fuji apple choices. We identify three consumer classes by a latent class model: certification-oriented class (65.8%), price-sensitive and origin-oriented class (15.0%), and no-buy class (19.2%). The results show that consumer sociodemographic characteristics, predictive value, and confidence value are the heterogeneous sources that determine their preferences for Fuji apple information attributes. Specifically, consumers' age, family income per month, and whether the family has children under 18 significantly impact the membership probability of consumers in both certification-oriented and price-sensitive and origin-oriented classes. Consumers' predicted value and confidence value significantly impact the membership probability of consumers in the certification-oriented class. In contrast, consumers' predicted value and confidence value have no significant impact on the membership probability of consumers in price-sensitive and origin-oriented class. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given coronavirus 2019 (COVID‐19), we empirically investigate whether consumers are willing to pay for greater sustainability and safer working conditions in food supply chains. We elicit consumer valuation via two consumer choice survey experiments and revealed preferences using mixed Logit discrete choice models. We find that consumers have a significant positive average valuation towards sustainability, but may require an average compensation to choose products produced under safer working conditions. Policy implications suggest a market‐based potential to nudge consumer segments who desire value congruence in their diet, namely, by revealing information through labeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The various ecosystem services related to water form a complex structure that impacts on human well-being so it is necessary to know the relationships between their attributes to support decision making for water security. Our work investigates individual preferences for water ecosystem service attributes in the Tilacancha River Microbasin, in northern Peru, using two methods of a different nature. In that context, prioritization results using Choice Experiments and Analytic Hierarchy Process are compared for their abilities to represent purchase preferences and theoretical preferences, respectively. Both methods reveal that in a context of abundant water resources, the public has a higher preference for the attributes Quality Maintenance and Water Regulation, over Sediment Control and Water Yield, which were less valued. The differences allowed us to identify possible applications of the results useful for water security management. Additionally, we conclude that it is possible to combine the results of both methods to support decision making, and we highlight the specific cases in which it is appropriate to use the methods individually. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human-wildlife conflict is rapidly evolving in response to significant ecological, social, and economic changes affecting society globally. Developing objective and acceptable resolution strategies is challenging because of divergence in perceptions and understandings of human-wildlife conflict between urban and rural populations, and this disparity is increasing with rapid urbanization. In this study, we explore preferences for wild boar conflict management in China using a mixed methods approach of a survey, choice experiments, and interviews. We found that significant differences in the preferences of wild boar management exist between rural and urban residents. The majority of rural residents preferred hunting whereas most urban residents in cities remote from the conflict preferred non-hunting measures. However, we found that economic cost played an important role in influencing public preferences for management measures. The urban population had positive preferences for hunting if they were required to pay an environmental tax to compensate farmers for crop damage when asked to consider their preferred management strategy package. We consider that the current management of hunting wild boar in China requires improvement, and we argue that China should adjust the current hunting management policy to take into account the benefits of wild boar population control and the economic development of the surrounding rural areas.

The success of ecolabelling to promote sustainable fisheries hinges on information. We explore the effects of spatially targeted knowledge on willingness to pay for ecolabels using treatments that provide consumers with knowledge about the health of worldwide, domestic, and foreign fisheries, which can have differential effects for domestic and imported seafood. Analysis of data collected using a choice experiment indicates that spatial differences in knowledge do not necessarily influence the value of ecolabels. Knowledge of the state of domestic fisheries has no greater effect on the value consumers assign to sustainable domestic products than knowledge of world fisheries. We also find that the ecolabels generate premiums and that importing discounted the value regardless of whether additional information on fisheries was provided and of the type of spatial knowledge provided. The greatest premium for ecolabelled domestic products was achieved when the world fishery information was provided, but additional knowledge about the fishery did not affect the value of ecolabelled foreign products. Additionally, consumers who received information on the domestic fishery and viewed it as positive were willing to pay as much for the labelled domestic products as those who received information on world fisheries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural activities play an important role in shaping landscape, in particular, in Lithuania, where agricultural land accounts for more than half of the surface land. These landscape services are used by people as public goods, contributing to societal welfare. The aim of this study is to assess the value of agricultural landscape, identifying consumer preferences and willingness to pay for agricultural landscape attributes using the choice experiment (CE) method. The article analyses the agricultural landscape services and attributes the condition of which depends directly on the farming systems and practices applied. Four attributes of agricultural landscape were selected for the research: (i) scenic views; (ii) variety of flora and fauna species, (iii) recreational infrastructure and services, and (iv) objects of cultural heritage. The latent class approach (LCA) was used for analysis of heterogenous preferences among the Lithuanian residents. The findings provided quantitative information related to the demand for agricultural landscape goods, identifying a particular interest for the objects of cultural heritage, in relation to which the willingness to pay is particularly high. It is necessary to understand and analyse the preferences for agricultural landscape services with the purpose of improvement of the agricultural policy measures in order to change the farmers' performance towards sustainability. The case study offers new empirical arguments for agri-environmental policy development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecosystem services (ESs) can be defined as the values and benefits provided by ecosystems for human well-being. The main characteristic of ESs is that they benefit people. Agriculture is an important provider of ESs for society, culture, the environment and the economy. In mountain areas, agriculture embodies different functions. This work assesses the value of ESs provided by mountain farms according to mountain tourists' opinions, using a Choice Experiments (CEs) approach and quantitative surveys. CEs allow multiple scenarios with different attributes associated with monetary values that respondents had to choose. The sample comprised 840 mountain tourists, interviewed through an online survey in April 2020. The main results show that the ESs provided by agriculture and preferred by tourists are the maintenance of pastures and grazing, which are considered to shape the mountain landscape and provide for cultural and environmental ESs. Moreover, biodiversity conservation is another one of the most appreciated attributes, being fundamental for protecting the environment. A noticeable result is the importance associated with the ES provided by agriculture related to the regulation of hydrogeological assets, meaning that the awareness of the hydrogeological instability of mountain slopes is widespread and that tourists are sensitive to this topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We estimate farmers' preferences for outcome‐based (or results‐based) payment for ecosystem service scheme in Japan. To this end, we use a two‐stage stated preference approach—the first stage models farmers' decisions to adopt outcome‐based contracts using a discrete choice experiment. The second stage estimates the areas of land which farmers who choose to participate will enrol in the scheme. Based on a sample of 333 respondents, our results show that most farmers are willing to participate in outcome‐based contacts. A variety of contract attributes are found to influence farmers' decisions on participation. However, once a farmer decides to participate, their decision on how much farmland to enrol in is likely to be influenced solely by the per‐hectare payment. Therefore, to encourage more farmers to participate and enrol more farmland, policy‐makers' decisions on the level of payments offered are critically important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim of study: To test the hypothesis that consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for traditional food products expresses their willingness to conserve the bundle of ecosystem services (ES) provided by the territories of origin and that the intensity of these preferences is subject to spatial discounting. Area of study: We used Iberian dry-cured ham as a case study. This is a traditional and highly appreciated product characteristically produced in the Dehesa agroforestry system (southern Iberian Peninsula), an agricultural system characterized by high levels of ES provision. Material and methods: The analysis relies on a discrete choice experiment using some recently developed spatial indexes that go beyond traditional “distance-decay” effects. This method was fed with primary data gathered from a face-to-face survey administered in Andalusian food retail establishments to 1,158 Iberian ham (acorn- or fodder-fed) consumers. Main results: The results provide evidence of the effects of spatial discounting on the purchase of acorn- and fodder-fed Iberian hams associated with the agroecosystem in which they are produced. These effects presumably stem from consumers’ cultural identity linked to the agroecosystem of origin and their willingness to support the local economy and communities. In addition, in the case of acorn-fed Iberian ham, spatial discounting is affected by consumers’ perception of the ES provided by the agroecosystem, with consumers who significantly perceive these services showing a higher WTP, regardless of their place of residence (no spatial discounting). Research highlights: Relevant insights can be gained from the results, especially concerning marketing strategies and the adoption of environmental and sociocultural certifications.