Published online by Cambridge University Press: 20 September 2010
The purpose of this study was to predict Hispanic consumer's willingness to buy ethnic produce grown on local farms. Specifically, this result analyzes and compares the effects of Hispanic consumers' socio-economic characteristics and their expressed value judgments on their willingness to buy locally grown ethnic fruits and vegetables. The survey instrument asked respondents whether they were willing to buy ethnic produce grown on local farms, and based on this, an ordered probit model was developed to predict the willingness to buy ethnic produce grown on local farms. The model has significant explanatory power with 80% overall model prediction success. According to the survey results, overall, 80% of the Hispanic respondents were willing to buy locally grown ethnic produce, 13% of them were indifferent and only 7% of them were less willing to buy. The high positive percentage indicates the intensity of consumers' interest toward willing to buy locally grown produce. The study results indicated that growing demand for Hispanic ethnic produce provides a potential opportunity for farmers in the region.