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Following that 60% of the EU's soils are in unhealthy condition, the German government has identified soil protection as a key area of action within the framework of the Agricultural Strategy 2035 as a part of the development of a sustainable agricultural and food system. In particular, harmful compaction of topsoil and subsoil has a negative impact on yield, nitrogen efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions. Slurry hosing is an effective technique to reduce the risk of soil compaction by simultaneously minimising both the number of field passes and the weight of the machinery during slurry spreading. This article assesses farmers' preferences for a stylised slurry hosing support scheme and ascertains the personal and farm characteristics that are likely to affect scheme uptake. In a discrete choice survey of 100 German farmers, the respondents were asked to choose among different support schemes and the status quo. The support schemes on offer varied the subsidy rate, the spatial coverage of the scheme, the minimum proportion of a farm's manure to be applied via slurry hosing, the time window for slurry spreading, the commitment period, and the type of compliance monitoring. Since the participants' decision for or against participation in the support programme is binomial, the survey data was analysed by logistic regression in the form of a mixed logit model and a latent-class model. A mixed logit results suggest that the majority of respondents valued an extension of the time window for slurry spreading, whereas tighter programme requirements were mostly rejected. The latent-class model revealed three preference classes with different perceptions of the scheme's attributes. Younger farmers with larger farms and suitable site conditions for the hosing technique were identified as a potential target group for the scheme. Overall uptake rates are likely to remain low should such a scheme be launched. Furthermore, the recommendations for scheme design are not universal. They rather apply only to the group of farmers surveyed, i.e. larger farms with largely favourable site conditions. Since smaller farms may have self-selected themselves out of the survey, it is not permissible to tailor the programme to these very farms on the basis of the results. [Display omitted] • Slurry hosing minimises yield loss and negative environmental impact due to lower wheel load and field passess. • A mixed logit model showed that higher programme requirements were mostly rejected. • A latent-class model revealed three preference classes. • Younger farmers with larger farms and suitable site conditions were identified as a potential target group for the scheme. • Overall uptake rates are likely to remain low should such a scheme be launched. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports the results of a discrete choice experiment with 101 German livestock farmers designed to establish the factors affecting the respondents' acceptance of a deposit-refund system for animal manure. Farmers entering into a manure supply contract with a biogas plant would offer their entire slurry to the plant and pay a deposit which is refunded if and when the farmer takes back the same quantity of nutrients as initially supplied. Such a system can secure the supply of slurry for biogas plants and help farmers reduce greenhouse gas and ammonia emissions. A mixed-logit model revealed a very high overall willingness to participate in such a scheme. The average probability of participation is 70%. With an average of 73% of nutrients taken back the deposit-refund system can be a good way to distribute nutrients regionally. The remaining nutrient quantities are transferred to crop farms - if necessary for a fee, financed by the retained deposit. Low deposit rates and cost-reducing complimentary services offered by the biogas plant in the field of nutrient management improve participation. Free slurry storage with a WTP of €4.15 per m3 and free digestate spreading with a WTP of €7.14 per m³ can be very effective in enticing farmers into the scheme. Less tangible services such as the certification of greenhouse gas reductions appear less important for participation decisions. While high deposit amounts could increase nutrient redemption or additional intake, the probability of choice decreases as the amount increases. Based on the simulated acceptance rate, 8–10 €/t seems to represent a critical deposit level up to which a high probability of participation can be achieved. • Deposit-refund system for slurry digestion to reduce GHG and ammonia emissions. • The average probability of participation is 70%. • Only a small group of farmers would not be interested in such a system. • Cost-reducing services offered by the biogas plant increase participation. • Less tangible services are less important for participation decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores influences of human values and trust on stated preferences for food labeled with environmental footprints. We apply survey data to assess the impact of these individual-specific characteristics on German consumers’ choices of potatoes, through an attribute-based choice experiment in which product alternatives are described by footprint labels and prices. We find that accounting for consumers’ value systems, but not generalized trust beliefs, aids in understanding choices and identifying possible markets for footprint-labeled food products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the influencing factors of farmers' use of price hedging instruments (PHIs) based upon a discrete choice experiment with German grain farmers. A mixed logit model is used to determine whether farmers' choices of PHIs against cash sales are influenced by their price expectation, their risk attitude and their available storage capacities. The results show that farmers with a price expectation below the actual price level have a higher preference for using PHIs against cash sales in general and that the individual degree of risk aversion can have a significant impact on farmers' choices of a specific PHI. A generally lower preference of farmers with available storage capacities for using PHIs as assumed in many theoretical contributions in the literature, however, cannot be confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article assesses farmers' willingness to participate in a stylised scheme supporting the adoption of slurry acidification techniques in livestock facilities. Slurry acidification is a novel technique, developed in Denmark, to reduce ammonia emissions. In a discrete choice survey of 129 German livestock farmers, the respondents were asked to choose among different support schemes and the status quo. The attributes presented in the choice sets were the expected emission reduction, the cost share on offer, a factor by which the additional nitrogen in acidified slurry must be accounted for in fertiliser plans, and concessions on current fertiliser regulations. A mixed logit model showed that the majority of respondents valued emission reductions, a higher cost share and concessions on the statutory requirements of the Fertiliser Ordinance. A latent-class model was applied to reveal preference heterogeneity. It identified three preference classes with different perceptions of the scheme's attributes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The popular logit model is extended to allow for varying stochastic parameters (mixed logit) and non-linearities of regressor variables while analysing a cross-sectional sample of German corporate credit defaults. With respect to economic interpretability and goodness of probability forecasts according to disriminatory power and calibration, empirical results favor the extended specifications. The mixed logit model is particularly useful with respect to interpretability. However, probability forecasts based on the mixed logit model are not distinctively preferred to extended logit models allowing for non-linearities in variables. Further potential improvements with the help of the mixed logit approach for panel data are shown in a Monte Carlo study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Residential buildings strongly contribute to global CO2 emissions due to the high energy demand for electricity and heating, particularly in industrialised countries. Within the EU, decentralised heat generation is of particular relevance for future climate policy, as its emissions are not covered by the EU ETS. We conducted a choice experiment concerning energy retrofits for existing houses in Germany. In the experiment, the approximately 400 sampled house owners could either choose a modern heating system or an improved thermal insulation for their home. We used standard and mixed logit specifications to analyse the choice data. We found environmental benefits to have a significant impact on choices of heating systems. However, they played no role in terms of insulation choices. Based on the estimated mixed logit model, we further obtained willingness-to-pay (WTP) measures for CO2 savings. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Many inhabitants of Berlin enjoy bathing in lakes and rivers during the summer. However, so far no data exist about who goes bathing and what quality bathers expect from bathing sites. In an online survey conducted during the summer of 2007 respondents were presented with a choice experiment concerning various attributes of bathing sites such as water quality or cleanliness of the beach. Applying both random parameter logit models as well as a latent class model reveals that unobserved taste heterogeneity is present among bathers, i.e. not all bathers would benefit equally from improving bathing sites. A test concerning preference consistency reveals high internal validity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Time-of-use (TOU) electricity tariffs represent an instrument for demand side management. By reducing energy demand during peak times, less investments in otherwise necessary, costly, and CO2 intensive redispatch would be required. We use a choice experiment (CE) to analyze private consumers' acceptance of TOU tariffs in Germany. In our CE, respondents choose between a fixed rate tariff and two TOU tariffs that differ by peak time scheme and by a control of appliances' electricity consumption during that time. We use a mixed logit model to account for taste heterogeneity. Moreover, investigating decision strategies, we identify three different strategies that shed light on drivers of unobserved taste heterogeneity: (1) Always choosing the status quo, (2) always choosing the maximum discount, and (3) choosing a TOU tariff but not always going for the maximum discount. Overall, about 70% of our 1398 respondents would choose a TOU tariff and shift their electricity demand, leading to a decline in energy demand during peak times. Rough estimates indicate that this would lead to significant savings in electricity generation, avoiding up to a mid to large-sized fossil-fuel power plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The majority of farmed fish produced in Bangladesh is consumed domestically, while global demand for fish is increasing. Non-tariff barriers resulting from consumers' concerns about sustainability and food safety or attitudes towards the country of origin might be one reason for limited export. The purpose of this study is to analyze consumer preferences for frozen pangasius and tilapia fillets from Bangladesh in order to explore market opportunities in Germany. A discrete choice experiment was conducted to estimate marginal utilities and willingness-to-pay for different product attributes, focusing on sustainability certification and the country of origin. Vietnam as a major exporter of pangasius to Germany was selected as a reference country for the analysis. The results of fitted mixed logit models indicate that German consumers are price-sensitive and prefer fish produced in Germany over fish farmed in either Bangladesh or Vietnam. While this finding seems not to be attributable to consumer ethnocentrism, country image constructs might play a role. A significant positive utility was identified for both sustainability and fair trade certification. The overall opt-out rate of the choice experiment was relatively high, indicating a general reluctance to consume pangasius and tilapia. Older respondents as well as those concerned about sustainability and those having less positive attitudes towards aquaculture were more likely to opt out. Overall, concerns about sustainability and the country of origin are relevant factors influencing purchase decisions, but aspects of taste and preferences for certain fish species might be even more significant in this context, limiting the market potential of pangasius and tilapia in Germany., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)