Carlos E. Carpio

Bio: Carlos E. Carpio is an academic researcher from Texas Tech University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Willingness to pay & Contingent valuation. The author has an hindex of 13, co-authored 80 publications receiving 926 citations. Previous affiliations of Carlos E. Carpio include University of Texas at Austin & Clemson University.

Consumer willingness to pay for locally grown products: the case of South Carolina

Abstract: A contingent valuation framework is used to evaluate South Carolina consumers' willingness to pay for the “locally grown” characteristic (defined here as South Carolina grown) in produce and animal products and to identify the sociodemographic characteristics affecting consumer preferences for this characteristic. Findings show that South Carolina consumers are willing to pay an average premium of 27% for local produce and 23% for local animal products. Premiums for local products are influenced by age, gender, and income as well as by perceived product quality, a desire to support the local economy, patronage of farmers markets, and consumer ties to agriculture. [JEL Categories: D12, Q13]. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The demand for agritourism in the United States

Abstract: Using data from the 2000 National Survey on Recreation and the Environment, this study explores factors affecting visits by the American population to farms and the economic value of the rural landscapes for farm visitors. The number of farm recreation trip visits was estimated to have own-price elasticity of -0.43 and an income elasticity of 0.24. Location of residence, race, and gender were found to be important determinants of the number of farm trips. The calculated consumer surplus is estimated at $174.82/ trip, of which $33.50 is due to the rural landscape.

Consumer willingness to pay for organic and locally grown produce on Dominica: insights into the potential for an “Organic Island”

Abstract: With the intent of improving agricultural revenues and solidifying her place as an ecotourism destination, it has been proposed that the island nation of The Commonwealth of Dominica convert all agriculture to organic production. This study explores Dominica’s current and potential domestic demand for organic and/or “locally grown” produce. Surveys were conducted with Dominican consumers to assess their opinions and willingness to pay for these products, and evaluated using a maximum likelihood estimation procedure. On average, Dominican consumers are willing to pay 17.5 % more for organic, and 12 % more for locally grown, produce. These results were varied significantly across demographic segments of the sampled population, respondent tastes and preferences, the health status of their family, and the extent to which they were early adopters of new products. Despite several expected challenges of a successful transition to organic, implementation of this policy may offer a net positive welfare increase for Dominica’s permanent residents. Results from this analysis suggest that, from the perspective of domestic consumers, Dominica should continue to pursue the possibility of becoming an “Organic Island.”

A Flexible Parametric Family for the Modeling and Simulation of Yield Distributions

Abstract: The distributions currently used to model and simulate crop yields are unable to accommodate a substantial subset of the theoretically feasible mean-variance-skewness-kurtosis (MVSK) hyperspace. Because these first four central moments are key determinants of shape, the available distributions might not be capable of adequately modeling all yield distributions that could be encountered in practice. This study introduces a system of distributions that can span the entire MVSK space and assesses its potential to serve as a more comprehensive parametric crop yield model, improving the breadth of distributional choices available to researchers and the likelihood of formulating proper parametric models.

Probability and Statistical Inference

Abstract: The Foundations of Statistics By Prof. Leonard J. Savage. (Wiley Publications in Statistics.) Pp. xv + 294. (New York; John Wiley and Sons, Inc.; London: Chapman and Hall, Ltd., 1954.) 48s. net.

Local Food Systems: Concepts, Impacts, and Issues

Abstract: This comprehensive overview of local food systems explores alternative definitions of local food, estimates market size and reach, describes the characteristics of local consumers and producers, and examines early indications of the economic and health impacts of local food systems. There is no consensus on a definition of “local” or “local food systems” in terms of the geographic distance between production and consumption. But defining “local” based on marketing arrangements, such as farmers selling directly to consumers at regional farmers’ markets or to schools, is well recognized. Statistics suggest that local food markets account for a small, but growing, share of U.S. agricultural production. For smaller farms, direct marketing to consumers accounts for a higher percentage of their sales than for larger farms. Findings are mixed on the impact of local food systems on local economic development and better nutrition levels among consumers, and sparse literature is so far inconclusive about whether localization reduces energy use or greenhouse gas emissions.