THE ROLE OF SPATIAL AND DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS IN DIRECT FARM MARKETING: AN ECONOMETRIC APPROACH

Direct farm marketing sales in the Northeastern region of the U.S. and more specifically in the state of West Virginia increased during the 1990s. To understand the factors that influence recent trends in direct farm marketing, this analysis uses a regression function to test the relationships between county direct farm marketing sales and county spatial and socio-economic characteristics. Data from West Virginia is used to analyze the relationship between the consumer, land characteristics, and farm sales. The results reveal that the model is relatively accurate and multiple consumer characteristics and land use variables significantly influence sales of farm goods marketed directly to consumers.