Cow-Calf Producer Preferences for Voluntary Traceability Systems

This article identifies preferences of US cow-calf producers for voluntary traceability systems to better identify the potential success of alternative voluntary traceability systems.  Results suggest that notable heterogeneity exists between cow-calf producers in their preferences and the welfare effects of mandating traceability adoption.  Producers are sensitive to price, managing entity and information requirements.  We provide forecasts of voluntary participation rates under different price premium and discount scenarios that producers may face.  This analysis has policy implications as success of voluntary traceability systems hinges critically upon cow-calf producer preferences.