Brad Bergefurd1, Tim Woods2, Alex Butler2

1The Ohio State University, Piketon, Ohio, United States

2The University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, United States

 

ABSTRACT

Produce auctions in the Ohio River Valley play an important role in the marketing of produce in the region.  While smaller than urban-based terminal markets, these agriculture commodity aggregation points serve both local and regional buyers, providing access to wholesale markets otherwise too distant for smaller scale farmers in the area. Similar auctions have continued to start or expand throughout the Mid-South. The prices, quality, and quantity of the products distributed through these auctions vary throughout the marketing season and, subsequently, different kinds of buyers are attracted to bid. This study examines the evidence for structural market differences between early season, when prices are systematically higher, and peak season that can arise from different buyer needs relating to volume and distribution in local versus more regional outlets. Price and quantity records from two of the larger Kentucky auctions, the Fairview and Lincoln County Produce Auction are analyzed for seven different produce commodities during early and peak season. Four years of data are evaluated using structural difference regression equations to test for early versus peak temporal differences as well as specific auction effects. This information can assist produce auctions to establish market coordination with season extension and variously scaled market buyers.


BIOGRAPHY

Mr. Bergefurd is the Co-Coordinator of the 25 member multidisciplinary Ohio State University Specialty Crops Team that partners with the $180 million dollar fruit and vegetable industry in Ohio; is past Director of the Great Lakes Vegetable Working Group a 70 member multidisciplinary Team of commercial Vegetable researchers and educators and is Co-Coordinator of the Ohio Apprenticeship council approved Ohio Specialty Crops Growers Apprenticeship Program that trains new specialty crop students and growers. His teaching and field research centers on crop diagnostics and management, season extension techniques (high tunnel, plasticulture, row covers), integrated pest management (IPM), micro-irrigation management and direct marketing and his applied research focuses on plasticulture production, hops production and marketing, strawberry season extension, tomato micro-fertigation and physiological disorders of tomato at Piketon and on-farm research plots around Ohio and in West Africa. Bergefurd lectures throughout the country and internationally on integrated pest management, plasticulture technologies, hops production, strawberry crop management, crop fertility, direct marketing and wholesale produce auction management . He is a member of the American Society for Horticultural Science and the Food Distribution Research Society and serves as an Educational Advisor for the Ohio Produce Growers and Marketers Association, the Ohio Department of Agriculture OHIO PROUD program, Ohio Produce Growers and Marketers Educational Adviser; Ohio Hops Guild Academia Director and NC SARE Research & Education Technical Committee member. Bergefurd holds degrees in Horticulture Science and Agricultural & Extension Education from the Ohio State University.

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