SOUTHEASTERN CONSUMERS' WILLINGNESS TO PAY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCTION ATTRIBUTES OF FRESH TOMATOES

This study examines southeastern consumers' willingness to pay for marginal changes in production practices that lessen the impact on the environment but that fall short of a complete conversion to organic production. We find that consumers are willing to pay more for tomatoes grown using less water, that contain less pesticide residue, that are not grown with petroleum-based fertilizers, and that travel shorter distances to the final point of sale. These estimates provide a starting point for producers who cannot convert to organic production but for whom it might be profitable to make (more feasible) marginal production changes.