Progress 02/01/15 to 01/31/18
Outputs
Target Audience: Our target audience includes argicultural professionals, specifically almond growers and beekeepers, together withresearchers interested in pollination service markets. Beekeepers in the Northern Rockies and almond growers in California who are engaged in pollination contractsare our main target. Changes/Problems: As noted on the last report, we have contracted with Wyoming Statistical and Analysis Center to administer the survey to 3,000 almond growers. Because the surveys are being sent from a non-California University, we have experienced a relatively low response rate of just over 20%. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? This project has led to multiple opportunities for training and professional development. The graduate student has had the opportunity to train on how to conduct meaningful research and has attendedand presented at academic meetings. This project has also given Dr. Jones Ritten the opportunity to develop professional relationships with other researchers in the field. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The results of this study have been presented at the Pacific Northwest Regional Economic Conference Annual Meetings in Tacoma, WA, on May 32, 2018 and will be presented at the Western Agricultural Economics Association Annual Meeting held in Anchorage AK, June 24-26, 2018. Preliminary results were presented at the NIFA Agricultural Economics and Rural Communities Project Directors Workshop at the American Agricultural Economics Association Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL, on August 2, 2017. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Impact: Although pollination services completed by managed honeybees are critical to the sustainability and production of most crops produced in the United States, there is limited information about the pollination services industry, especially in the Northern Rockies region. Specifically there is no general information on the value almond growers place on attributes of beekeepers and their bees, limiting beekeepers ability to effectively adjust to almond grower demands. To address the void, we sent 3,000 surveys to almond growers to measure their value of various beekeeper and honeybee attributes. From the 676 returned surveys, we found that most (65%) almond growers contract with beekeepers that are located in California (the same state as the almond growers), use only one beekeeper (85%), have long-established relationships with beekeepers (13 year relationship on average), and pay $171 per colony for pollination services on average. We assessed beekeepers value for various attributes by giving each almond grower four hypothetical situations in which they would require a new beekeeper to pollinate their almonds. We presented the almond grower with two different potential beekeepers that varied on various attributes. These attributes included location of the beekeeper (either located in California or not), the ability of the beekeeper to pollinate the entire crop of almonds (either able to pollinate all almonds or not), the density of bees per colony (frames per colony varied between 8, 10, and 12), and pollination fee per colony (15% more, 15% less, or the same as their current pollination contract). Almond growers where then instructed to selected one of the two beekeepers or neither. Using a Random Parameters Logistic Regression model, we found that almond growers are more willing to select a beekeeper that has enough colonies to pollinate all of their almond crop (thus they do not have to hire additional beekeepers), is located in California, has more frames per colony, and has a lower pollination fee. The mean amount beekeepers are willing to pay for a beekeeper that can pollinate all almonds, is located in California, and the frames per colony is currently being estimated. These results are of utmost importance to beekeepers that are currently involved in the pollination market, or are contemplating entering it. This information is of particular importance to those beekeepers in the Northern Rockies, since results show a market advantage for California beekeepers. Results suggest that beekeepers outside of California should increase their size and frames per colony, while still offering competitive fees to secure pollination contracts. The information garnered from this project helps identify the structure of the pollination services market and aids beekeepers in their attempt to be competitive and adjust to grower demands. Research Aim 1. Identify attributes of managed honey bees and beekeepers that growers value when negotiating pollination contracts and how these attributes vary across crops 1. Major activities completed: During the first year of the project, a new graduate student joined the research team and completed background research and interviewed Wyoming beekeepers and California almond growers to determine the characteristics that almond growers value. 2. Data Collected: Data was collected through transcriptions of the interviews conducted with Wyoming beekeepers and California almond growers 3. Summary Statistics and Discussion of results: From the collected data, we found that almond growers value the location of the beekeepers they hire, the beekeepers' ability to pollinate all of their almond crop (limiting their need to hire multiple beekeepers), the number of frames per colony (a measure of the number of bees per colony hired), and the fee paid per colony for pollination services. 4. Key outcomes or other accomplishments realized: Information garnered from the interviews conducted identified the attributes of beekeepers and their bees that almond growers value when negotiating pollination contracts. Research Aim 2. Estimate the value of honey bee and beekeeper attributes through determining grower's WTP for such attributes in pollination contracts 1. Major activities completed: During the second year of the project, we developed and deployed a survey to California almond growers. The survey used a choice experiment method that allowed us to estimate almond growers' WTP for various attributes of beekeepers, and thus meet our second research objective. The survey was sent to 3,000 almond growers in March of 2017. We received 676 completed surveys. The survey instrument was developed to determine specifics about almond growers' operations (including other crops grown, size, annual sales, and location), current contracting with beekeepers for pollination services (including location of current beekeeper, frames per colony, number of beekeepers hired, and average fee paid per colony), demographic information, and their value of certain beekeeper attributes. To measure this value, we gave each almond grower four hypothetical situations in which they would require a new beekeeper to pollinate their almonds. We presented the almond grower with two different potential beekeepers that varied on various attributes. These attributes included location of the beekeeper (either located in California or not), the ability of the beekeeper to pollinate the entire crop of almonds (either able to pollinate all almonds or not), the density of bees per colony (frames per colony varied between 8, 10, and 12), and pollination fee per colony (15% more, 15% less, or the same as their current pollination contract). Almond growers where then instructed to selected one of the two beekeepers or neither. 2. Data Collected: Data was collected from the 676 returned surveys. Data was collected on growers' operations (including other crops grown, size, annual sales, and location), current contracting with beekeepers for pollination services (including location of current beekeeper, frames per colony, number of beekeepers hired, and average fee paid per colony), demographic information, and their value of certain beekeeper attributes. 3. Summary Statistics and Discussion of results: From the 676 returned surveys, we found that most (65%) almond growers contract with beekeepers that are located in California (the same state as the almond growers), use only one beekeeper (85%), have long-established relationships with beekeepers (13 year relationship on average), and pay $171 per colony for pollination services on average. We assessed beekeepers value for various attributes by giving each almond grower four hypothetical situations in which they would require a new beekeeper to pollinate their almonds. Using a Random Parameters Logistic Regression model, we found that almond growers are more willing to select a beekeeper that has enough colonies to pollinate all of their almonds (thus they do not have to hire additional beekeepers), hire a beekeeper located in California, has more frames per colony, and has a lower pollination fee. The mean amount beekeepers are willing to pay for a beekeeper that can pollination all almonds, located in California, and frames per colony is currently being estimated. 4. Key outcomes or other accomplishments realized: Results from this study will be included in publications submitted to academic journals within the next six months. These publications are expected to lead to a change in knowledge and a change in action. The information from this study on attributes almond growers value is expected to increase the decision-making of beekeepers and change the behavior of beekeepers through improved knowledge to best meet demand for pollination services.
Publications
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Progress 02/01/16 to 01/31/17
Outputs
Target Audience:Our target audience includes agricultural professionals, specifically almond growers in California and Beekeepers in the Northern Rockies. Beekeepersand almond growers thatcurrently engaged inpollination contractsin California are the main target of this research. Changes/Problems:Although we noted on the last report that we were collaborating with another research group, the collaboration was determined infeasible. As a result, we have contracted with Wyoming Statistical and Analysis Center to administer the survey to 3,000 almond growers. Because the surveys are being sent from a non-California University, we have experienced a relatively low response rate. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This project has lead to multiple opportunities for training and professional development. The graduate student has had the opportunity to train on how to conduct meaningful research and will be attending academic meetings this summer. This project has also given Dr. Jones Ritten the opportunity to develop professional relationships with other researchers in the field. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?In the next reporting period, we plan on analyzing data received from the completed surveys to estimate almond growers' WTP for various beekeeper attributes. Further, the analysis will be the basis for academic presentations made at regional and national conferences along with submitted journals manuscripts.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
1. Identify attributes of managed honey bees and beekeepers that growers value when negotiating pollination contracts and how these attributes vary across crops Since the start of this project in August 2015, we have made significant progress. During the first year of the grant, we focused our efforts on the first research objective. During this time, a new graduate student joined the research team and completed background research and interviewed Wyoming beekeepers and California almond growers to determine the characteristics that almond growers value. 2. Estimate the value of honey bee and beekeeper attributes through determining grower's WTP for such attributes in pollination contracts During the second year of the project, we have developed and deployed a survey to California almond growers. The survey uses a choice experiment method that will allow us to estimate almond growers' WTP for various attributes of beekeepers, and thus meet our second research objective. The survey was sent to almond growers in March of 2017. We are still receiving completed surveys, but have nearly 400 returned thus far.
Publications
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