BSU - SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE / RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

Whitewater River Valley Agricultural Market Search
	Co-Directors: David Ferguson Department of Landscape Architecture Ball State University and John Vann, Ph.D. Department of Marketing Ball State University
Overview:
The Whitewater River Valley Agricultural Market Search focuses on the identification of regional markets for diversified agricultural products and the local agricultural community's potential to meet these demands. Wayne County, Indiana and portions of surrounding counties make up the survey region for this project. The project was primarily funded by the Indiana Commissioner's office for Agriculture and Rural Development and is based on earlier work completed through the Center for Energy Research Education and Service at Ball State University.
Goals:
The primary goal of this project was to determine the potential market for locally grown, diverse food products that are currently imported from outside the study region. The project relied on a survey of food buyers within a forty-two-mile radius of the Richmond/Wayne County, Indiana region. The agricultural market survey was developed with the assistance of RPM Systems of New Haven, Connecticut. A secondary goal was to determine the willingness of Wayne County farmers to meet some of the demonstrated demand for the diverse food products. Finally, the project was intended to identify both buyers and growers concerns regarding the risks and technical requirements of entering the potentially profitable, locally produced diversified markets. Equipped with this information, the agricultural community, working with other economic development sectors of the local communities can begin to develop strategies to meet regional demand. The process and tools used for this project are easily transferable to other communities
Report Contents:
Introduction A case for diversified agriculture Project description Historic precedents for agricultural diversification Marketing infrastructure Methodology Project goals Survey development Survey procedure Analysis Results Greatest local market potential Food-buyer response Purchasing criteria Preferred vendors Expected services Barriers to purchasing locally Grower questionnaire results Conclusion Overview Data review Action recommendations Appendices Appendix A - Survey Materials Newsletter, spring 1994 Buyer cover letter and questionnaire Newsletter, summer 1994 Grower cover letter and questionnaire Appendix B - Comparing Local Purchases to Total Purchase for Each Category Vegetables Fresh fruits and nuts Fresh poultry, fish and game Other fresh meats Grains and seeds Processed foods Appendix C - Local Purchases, Total Current Purchases, and Untapped Market Potential for Each Survey Item Bibliography
Results:
Summary of the data clearly shows potential for local market development of diversified agricultural products. Of the crop categories listed in the survey, grains, fresh meats, vegetables, and processed foods are the products purchased in the highest quantity by buyers who indicated a willingness to purchase the same products locally if available. The total value of all crops and processed items are the survey that are currently imported and that the 62 buyer respondents are willing to purchase local is $2.9 million. This report does not extrapolate the identified market value to a projected state-wide value, but similar results in other communities could be anticipated. A wider range of value-added products would likely increase the total market interest as well. The summary report concludes with Action Recommendations and contains extensive bar charts showing survey results.

Author | Last Modification: June, 1998 | Technical comments to the Webmaster

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