An Analysis of the Characteristics and Practices of Selected Florida Small Livestock Producers: A Focus on Economics and Marketing

Abstract

Issues regarding economics and marketing are of importance to small livestock producers, who produce and sell locally or regionally. This study, thus, assessed the characteristics and practices of selected Florida small livestock producers, emphasizing economics and marketing. Data were collected from a convenience sample of seventy small producers from several Florida counties, and were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including chi-square tests. The findings showed that there were many more: full-time producers; producers with at least a two-year/technical degree, and producers with at, least, a $40,000 annual household income. Most had been farming more than fifteen years, on at least 50 acres, and had small herds. Furthermore, very few of them made profits; they mainly sold animals live on-farm or at the auction/stockyard, and many of them kept records. Chi-square tests showed that gender, age, education, and household income had statistically significant effects on selected marketing characteristics. The findings suggest that educational programs that emphasize economic and marketing issues should be taken into consideration when designing programs for small producers in the study area.

Keywords: Livestock Producers, Small Producers, Characteristics and Practices, Economics and Marketing