LU-CAEHS Research Seminar
"Market Access and Channel Choice in Midwest Sheep and Goat Farms"
Marketing channel choice is a critical determinant of profitability and sustainability for small ruminant producers. This study examines farm, market access, and institutional determinants of marketing channel choices among Midwest sheep and goat producers using 2025 survey data. Guided by transaction cost economics and utility maximization, binary and multinomial logit models with average marginal effects are estimated. Results show that indirect channels dominate, with over 70 percent of producers relying on auctions. Distance to market and rural location constrain direct marketing, while value-added activities, hired labor, and goat production facilitate participation in alternative channels. Pasture-based systems and remoteness increase reliance on auctions and intermediaries. Overall, channel choice is driven more by transaction costs and spatial constraints than by preferences, underscoring the need to reduce market access barriers and strengthen coordination capacity.
Presented by Michael Owusu Ansah, Ph.D. in Agricultural and Applied Economics
Dr. Michael Owusu Ansah earned his Ph.D. in Agricultural and Applied Economics from the University of Missouri. His research focuses on agricultural technology adoption, production economics, and agribusiness and cooperative performance. As an applied agricultural economist, he integrates econometric modeling, efficiency and productivity analysis, and survey-based methods to examine farmer decision making and firm-level outcomes across U.S. and international agricultural systems. His work incorporates technology adoption frameworks, including Diffusion of Innovation, and emphasizes the economic feasibility and productivity impacts of management practices.
His current research involves interdisciplinary collaborations focused on farm productivity, small ruminant systems, agricultural policy, and sustainable management practices, with implications for extension targeting and data-driven decision making.
