Increasing demand for the production of energy from renewable sources has fueled a search for alternatives to supplement those currently in production. One such alternative is switchgrass, a perennial grass native to North America that appears to have considerable potential as a biomass feedstock for energy production. While the properties of switchgrass as a biomass feedstock have been intensively studied, the potential market for switchgrass has received much less attention. A survey of Tennessee farmers was conducted to improve our understanding of those who might be willing to supply switchgrass to an emerging energy market. The results of this survey provide information on the willingness of Tennessee's agricultural producers to grow switchgrass as an energy crop and the acreage that these producers would be willing to convert to switchgrass production. The majority of respondents had not heard of growing switchgrass for energy production and roughly half were unsure as to whether they would be willing to grow switchgrass. For those with an opinion about whether they would grow switchgrass, a two limit Tobit model of acreage share was used to ascertain the effects of various farm and producer characteristics on the share of acreage they would be willing to convert to switchgrass.
The economic competitiveness of biobased industries is discussed by comparing the South relative to other regions of the United States and biomass as a feedstock source relative to fossil fuels such as coal and petroleum. An estimate of the biomass resource base is provided. Estimated changes in the agricultural sector over time resulting from the development of a large-scale biobased industry are reported, and a study on the potential to produce electricity from biomass compared with coal in the southern United States is reviewed. A biobased industry can increase net farm income and enhance economic development and job creation.
We use Kristrom's simple spike model to assess the factors influencing consumers' willingness to pay a premium for a variety of certified wood products. A survey of over 1600Pennsylvania and Tennessee residents found that approximately 35% were willing to pay some positive "premium" for environmentally certified wood products. For three types of wood products (a $29 shelf, a $200 chair, and an $800 table) we fmd the estimated market premiums to be 12.9%, 8.5%, and 2.8%, respectively.JEL code: Q13, Q23
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