Producer and farm characteristics of Tennessee commercial tomato producers as related to extension contacts and types of market outlets used in 1984

The major purpose of this study was to determine the relationships between producer and farm characteristics and the type of market outlet chosen by farmers and the number and type of contacts growers had with Extension. Data were obtained through personal interviews with 117 Tennessee tomato producers located in 10 counties. An interview schedule was developed by Extension specialists and used in 1984 to collect data from tomato producers. Using updated mailing list, Extension agents were instructed to use the “nth” numbering technique to identify commercial tomato producers who were raising at least one-fourth acre. The instrument was designed to obtain data regarding producer, farm, chemical, market characteristics, contacts made with Extension agents, and production practices used by the commercial tomato producers. The coded data were processed for computer analysis. The University of Tennessee Computing Center facilities were used to analyze the data. The chi square statistical test was used to determine the strength of relationships between dependent and independent variables. The .05 level of probability was accepted as significant. The major findings included: 1. A slight majority of tomato producers had vegetables as their major source of farm income, about 70 percent were not employed full-time off the farm, and 77.7 percent were not employed part-time off the farm. Just over 64 percent were under the age of 50. Producers had small acreage. Just over 68 percent who farmed 100 acres or under planted 17,000 plants or under. A slight majority of producers obtained yields over 4.0 tons, grew a shipping variety, and raised their own tomato transplant. Just over 68 percent used container grown plants. The mean yield was 10 tons per acre and the median was 4 tons. 2. The majority of producers used 60 pounds or less of nitrogen and over 95 percent used 240 pounds or less of potash and phosphate at planting. Over 60 percent of producers applied fertilizer and lime by soil test. Nitrogen applied at sidedressing was evenly divided with 49.6 percent using 30 pounds or less and 50.4 percent using 31 pounds or more. Just over 68.0 percent applied a nitrogen sidedressing to plants after first fruit set. A strong majority of just under 95 percent applied their first foliar fungicide before disease appeared. Almost 92 percent did not soil test for nematodes and just over 65 percent did use a disease resistant variety. 3. Almost 86 percent did receive one or more Extension contacts of some type during the year. Only 14.5 percent of the commercial tomato producers in Tennessee did have some type of personal contact with Extension agents through meetings, office visits, telephone calls or farm visits during 1984. On the average each producer had 11.4 contacts with Extension that year. Just over 58 percent had attended an Extension meeting of some type in the past 12 months. Just under 54 percent attended one or more tomato Extension meetings during the past 12 months and just over 52 percent of producers received a farm visit by an Extension agent. Almost 74 percent of producers telephoned the Extension office and almost 77 percent of producers received a farm visit in the past 12 months from an Extension agent. Producers who grew more tomato plants (17,000 and over) were more likely to attend a tomato meeting than producers who grew fewer numbers of tomato plants. However, producers who grew more tomato plants were no more likely to receive a farm visit, visit the office, or telephone the office, than producers who grew fewer tomato plants. Tennessee tomato producers who grew a homegrown variety were more likely to receive a farm visit and telephone calls by an Extension agent than tomato producers who grew a shipping variety. However, tomato producers who grew a shipping variety were no more or less likely to visit the Extension office or attend a tomato meeting than tomato producers who grew a homegrown variety. 4. Producers who had vegetables as their major source of farm income were more likely to raise a shipping variety than a producer who had some other enterprise as their major source of farm income. Conversely, tomato producers who had some other enterprise as their major source of farm income were more likely to plant a homegrown variety than a shipping variety. Producers who were employed part-time off the farm and were of the age of 50 or under, were no more likely to choose a shipping variety than producers who were employed part-time off the farm or was over 50 years old. Producers who grew a shipping variety were more likely to use a shipping market outlet than producers who grew a homegrown variety. Conversely, producers who grew a homegrown variety were more likely to use a local market outlet than producers who grew a shipping variety. 5. Producers who harvested vine ripe tomatoes for their primary market were more likely to choose a shipping market outlet than producers who harvested vine ripe tomatoes for a secondary market. Conversely, producers who harvested vine ripe tomatoes for a secondary market were more likely to use a local market outlet than producers who harvested vine ripe tomatoes for a primary market. Producers who farmed 100 acres or under, planted 17,000 or less plants, harvested mature green tomatoes for a secondary market, harvested 10 percent or under of their tomatoes at the vine ripe stage, and yielded 4.0 tons per acre or under were no more or less likely than producers who farmed over 100 acres, planted more plants, harvested mature green tomatoes for their primary market, harvested over 10 percent of their tomatoes at the ripe stage, or those who yielded over 4.0 tons per acre to choose a shipping market outlet. 6. Producers who had vegetables as their major source of farm income were more likely to harvest vine ripe tomatoes for a secondary market than producers who had some other enterprise as their major source of farm income. Producers who were not employed part-time off the farm and those who were age 50 or under were no more or less likely to harvest vine ripe tomatoes for a secondary market than producers who were employed part-time off the farm or those who were over 50 years old. Producers who planted more plants (17,000 and over) were more likely to harvest their vine ripe tomatoes for a secondary market than producers who planted less tomato plants. Conversely, producers who planted fewer tomato plants were more likely to harvest their vine ripe tomatoes for their primary market than producers who grew more tomato plants. Producers who grew a shipping variety were more likely to harvest their vine ripe tomatoes for a secondary market than producers who grew a homegrown variety. Conversely, producers who grew a homegrown variety were more likely to harvest their vine ripe tomatoes for their primary market than producers who grew a shipping variety. Producers who used a local market outlet were more likely to harvest their vine ripe tomatoes for a secondary market than producers who used a shipping market outlet. Conversely, producers who used a shipping market outlet were more likely to harvest their vine ripe tomatoes for their primary market than producers who grew for a local market. Producers who farmed under 100 acres and those who grew for an early market were no more likely to harvest their tomatoes at the vine ripe stage than producers who had over 100 acres of land or those who grew tomatoes for a late market. 7. Producers who grew a homegrown variety were more likely to harvest mature green tomatoes for a secondary market than producers who grew a shipping variety of tomatoes. Conversely, producers who grew a shipping variety were more likely to harvest mature green tomatoes for a primary market than producers who grew a homegrown variety. Producers who farmed 100 acres or under, those who grew 17,000 or under tomato plants, those who raised tomatoes for an early market, those who used a shipping market outlet, and those who yielded 4.0 tons per acre or under, were no more or less likely to harvest mature green tomatoes for a secondary market than producers who farmed over 100 acres, grew over 17,000 plants, raised tomatoes for a late market, used a local market outlet, or those who yielded over 4.0 tons per acre. Implications and recommendations also were included in the study