Do Consumers Value Diversity in Agriculture? A Choice Experiment

ABSTRACT Farm ownership in the US today is racially and ethnically homogeneous. Diverse farmers and ranchers make up less than 10% of all producers, they tend to be less financially stable and have tighter profit margins. In the past few years, both government and industry programs have aimed to increase the participation and profitability of diverse farmers, some of which have been rolled back in response to recent legal and political changes. Despite active debate, little is known about public support for diversity in agriculture. Here, we explore consumer demand for diversity in US agriculture by measuring willingness to pay for a diverse farmer label. We find evidence of a positive price premium for a diverse farmer label on average, with significant consumer heterogeneity. Demand differed across a variety of consumer attributes, including consumers' politics, gender, and connection to agriculture. Our results provide timely insights on public demand for diversity in agriculture.