Consumers Evaluate Frozen and Grilled Ground Beef and Turkey Product

Abstract

Consumers are familiar with evaluating the acceptability of fresh and cooked ground beef in grocery stores and restaurants. Consumer acceptability of either fresh or frozen ground beef or ground beef blended with ground turkey has, however, received little attention. The acceptability of the blended beef turkey product is assumed to be relatively high given its origin from the traditional ground meats. Several different combinations of ground beef and ground turkey were evaluated for sensory color/texture differences in frozen and grilled forms by a 115-member consumer taste panel. Their evaluations of both frozen and grilled samples were influenced by previous experience with the combined product in the home and willingness to purchase the new product prior to evaluation of actual samples.     

Food Safety and Consumers' Willingness to Pay for Labelled Beef in Spain

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to assess the quality/safety value for beef consumers, measuring their willingness to pay a price premium for labelled beef. From a survey conducted among food shoppers within the household, consumers are segmented according to their safety perception of specific food products. For each segment, their willingness to pay for labelled beef is calculated. Finally, the main factors explaining such a decision are considered. The results indicate that food scares, the perception of a negative impact of agricultural production on the environment and health concerns are having a major impact on the food consumer purchasing decisions for beef. However, most consumers are not willing to pay a price premium for labelled beef.     

Effects of packers’ inventory and market power on price adjustments in the U.S. beef industry

This study examines effects of packers’ inventory and market power on their price adjustment behaviour in the U.S. beef industry. Econometric model used in the study allows inventory and market power variables to influence the speed-of-adjustment parameters in a three-regime threshold error-correction model. Results show that the two variables have a statistically significant impact on packers’ price adjustment behaviour when price decreases but not when price increases. When price decreases, inventory tends to accelerate the adjustment process whereas packers’ market power slows down the adjustment process. The hypothesis of symmetric adjustment towards long-run equilibrium during increasing and decreasing phases of price is not rejected when the effects of inventory and market power are considered in explaining packers’ price adjustment behaviour. However, when these two effects are ignored in the model specification, the hypothesis of symmetry is rejected such that the speed of adjustment in the increasing phase of price is faster than the adjustment speed in the decreasing phase of price, i.e. ‘rockets and feathers’ effect.     

The Country of Origin Effect on Brazilian Beef Trade in Europe: The Moderating Role of Gender,Age, and Product Involvement

Stereotypes of individuals in relation to countries may affect their attitudes toward products from these nations (the country of origin effect). The objective is to analyze the country of origin effect for Brazilian beef in Europe, considering the role of moderators such as gender, age, and product involvement. It was concluded that beliefs in relation to countries and their impact on attitudes toward products from these countries may differ according to demographic issues. We also conclude that aspects related to communication, distribution, and differentiation of Brazilian products have received the worst evaluation by consumers who participated in the survey.     

Consumer purchase behaviour of irradiated beef products: a simulated supermarket setting

In December 1997, the US Food and Drug Administration approved the use of irradiation to kill harmful bacteria in beef. As a result of limited information about consumers’ potential response to implementation of this technology, a supermarket simulation setting (SSS) test was conducted to assess consumer purchase behaviour. The objectives were to determine consumers’ willingness to purchase irradiated beef products when provided with information at the grocery store level and consumer's perceptions towards irradiated beef. Primary household grocery shoppers (n = 207) in Griffin, Georgia, USA who consumed beef at least twice per week participated in the study. Ground beef, ground chuck, top round steak and rib eye steak were displayed in refrigerated cases in either traditionally labelled packages (non‐irradiated) or in packages labelled as irradiated. Irradiated and non‐irradiated beef had the same unit price. Participants were instructed to purchase two packages of each cut on their first shopping trip; they then shopped a second time after an informative poster about irradiation had been placed in the display cases. The results indicated that irradiation information displayed on the poster at the point of purchase was effective in causing significant change in beef purchase behaviour. The information caused some consumers who had bought traditional packages initially to buy irradiated packages subsequently while others who bought irradiated packages initially subsequently bought traditional packages. Hence, the net effect of the information was minimal. A mean test across form/cut showed that consumers did not differentiate between the ground form and the muscle form in selecting irradiated packages.     

Demand for Beef from Cattle Administered Growth Hormones or Fed Genetically Modified Corn: A Comparison of Consumers in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States

We compare consumer valuations of beef ribeye steaks from cattle produced without growth hormones or genetically modified corn in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Results suggest that French consumers place a higher value on beef from cattle that have not been administered added growth hormones than U.S. consumers; however, valuations of non-hormone-treated beef are statistically indistinguishable across Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Results also suggest that European consumers place a much higher value on beef from cattle that have not been fed genetically modified corn than U.S. consumers.     

Droughts and farms’ financial performance: a farm‐level study in New Zealand

We quantify the impacts of droughts in New Zealand on the profitability of dairy, sheep and beef farms using a comprehensive administrative database of all farms in New Zealand. For dairy farms, we found that drought events have positive impacts on dairy farms’ revenue and profit in the year of the drought. This effect is most likely attributable to drought‐induced increases in the export price of milk solids, as New Zealand is the market maker in this global market and almost all domestic dairy production is exported. All of these quantified impacts, however, are not very large, suggesting that, at this point in time, droughts have a fairly moderate impact on New Zealand dairy and sheep–beef businesses.     

Nontariff measures and product differentiation: Hormone-treated beef trade from the United States and Canada to the European Union

We investigate how a combination of the sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measure and product differentiation affects beef trade and the consequences for the United States (US)–European Union (EU) hormone-treated beef trade dispute. We develop a partial equilibrium model to represent the global beef markets and product differentiation between non-hormone-treated beef, hormone-treated beef, and other beef. The results show that removing the SPS measure increases EU hormone-treated beef imports from the US and Canada and decrease beef consumption. In addition, EU hormone-treated beef consumption and imports can be related to a few key indicators of product differentiation. The framework we develop can estimate EU hormone-treated beef consumption and imports based on a minimum of parameters relating to product differentiation, thereby providing useful applied economic analysis of a key trade measure.     

Competitive forces affecting capacity decisions of South Dakota feedlot operations

A strategic management framework for the analysis of small and medium size firm behavior within a fragmented industry structure is developed. This literature predicts falling profits in the long run will drive out less efficient firms as the industry consolidates. This literature also predicts successful firms will engage in value-added production and/or adopt a cost reduction strategy to gain a competitive advantage through the development of niche markets. This framework is applied to the feedlot industry in South Dakota. A survey was conducted to collect feedlot operator responses on future capacity decisions. Empirical analysis identified linkages between future capacity decisions and competitive forces hypothesized in the agricultural management literature, which are responsible for driving consolidation in the U.S. feedlot industry. The survey also collected information on value-added production and management practices. These data were used to test the “niche market” hypotheses discussed in the strategic management literature. The analysis provides evidence that firms that engage in value-added practices have a lower probability of indicating they will decrease the capacity of their feedlot.     

Retail price responses to changes in wholesale prices in the US beef industry: differences among quality grades and primal cuts

This study examines the transmission of wholesale prices to retail prices for differentiated beef products. Specifically, we study vertical price movement for products differentiated by quality grades and primal cuts in the US beef industry. Our study considers two quality grades– United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Choice and USDA Select, and three primal cuts– chuck, round and sirloin. Using threshold-based autoregressive and error correction models, and non-linear impulse response functions, we explore if characteristics of price adjustment differ by quality attributes of the products. Results show that there exists the ‘rocket and feather’ effect in the adjustment of retail prices of most beef grades and cuts in response to changes in wholesale prices, and such asymmetric adjustment effect is more pronounced for higher quality grade (Choice) than lower quality grade (Select). Evidence of similar price adjustment is found from the high-quality cut (sirloin). Our results underscore the differences in price adjustment by product quality in the US beef industry.