Market information : needs and sources for the Manitoba grain farmer

• Main Author: Timko, Michelle L.
• Published: 2012
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1993/7174

Determining the suitability of market information and where it can be found is a problem for farm management decision makers. As suggested by this thesis, incorporating marketing as part of the farm management decision process allows us to consider two forms of market information which are applicable to decision making; macroeconomic and microeconomic. Macroeconomic information is the aggregated information available of the macroenvironmental forces that constrain and influence a farmer's decision making. Microeconomic information includes the specific information applicable to the individual firm. The general objectives of this thesis are to examine the importance, availability and need for more information of both types. A literature review supports the need for more studies within the area of marketing information and the need for more microeconomic information. A conceptual model is designed which illustrates how these types of information fit into the decision making process. A review of grain market information sources in Canada was developed. Finally, a survey was conducted among four distinct groups of Manitoba grain farmers to determine their perceived needs from market information. The analysis of data collected through the survey determined that both types of information are considered important by the farmer. However, those who belong to the Canola Growers favoured microeconomic in degree of importance. Both types of information were considered available by all particiants. Finally, over the entire group, there was no significant difference in the need for more microeconomic or macroeconomic information. However, across groups, those within the Canola Growers cited a need for more microeconomic information while those within the Wheat Growers cited a need for more macroeconomic information.