TITLE:
Validating the demand for goat meat in the US meat market
AUTHORS:
Xuanli Liu, Mack Nelson, Erika Styles
KEYWORDS:
Market; Demand; Consumer Preferences; Ethnics; Goat Meat
JOURNAL NAME:
Agricultural Sciences,
Vol.4 No.10,
October
10,
2013
ABSTRACT: There is a large body
of literature in economics examining the US meat market, but few studies have
focused on the US goat meat market. This study, as a catch-up effort, provides
an estimate of the demand for goat meat and assesses the impact of driving
factors in the US goat meat market. The data for this study were collected in
11 southern states and specifically elicit the demand and consumer preferences
in this non-conventional market. Four econometric models are fitted to examine
the multiple layers of the demand, including the current, the potential, the
latent, and the seasonal demand. Findings indicate a substantial demand for
goat meat with great growth potential, driven by demographic factors and food
safety concerns. Ethnic groups and the aged comprise the current niches for
goat meat, and the preferences for healthy and safe meat will define the market
in the future.