Consumer Preference
Wang, E., Nian, Y., & Gao, Z. (2025). Chinese consumers’ dish value: A best-worst scaling approach. British Food Journal. Forthcoming.
Nian, Y., Gao, Z., & Zhao, R. (2023). Are people’s daily life habits consistent with their preference for food sustainability labels? Agribusiness: An International Journal, 39(3), 589-622.10.1002/agr.21803.
Liu, R., Wang, J., Liang, F., Nian, Y., & Ma, H. (2022). What can we learn from the interactions of food traceable attributes? A case study of Fuji apple products in China. Applied Economics, 54(59), 6829-6849. 10.1080/00036846.2022.2084017.
Van Asselt, J., Nian, Y., Soh, M., Morgan, S., & Gao, Z. (2022). Do plastic warning labels reduce consumers’ willingness to pay for plastic egg packaging?: Evidence from a choice experiment. Ecologic Economics 198, 107460. 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2022.107460.
Technology Adoption
Nian, Y., Gao, Z., Zhao, X., & Chen, J. (2025). Making grafting accessible to vegetable producers: An online multistakeholder economic decision-support system for vegetable grafting. Smart Agricultural Technology. Forthcoming.
Nian, Y., Zhao, Z., Tian, S., Zhao, X., & Gao, Z. (2022). An economic analysis of grafted organic tomato production in high tunnels. HortTechnology, 32(5):459-470. 10.21273/HORTTECH05101-22.
Nian, Y., Huang, Q., Kovacs, K., Henry, C., & Krutz, J. (2020). Water management practices: Use patterns, related factors, and correlations with irrigated acres. Water Resources Research, 56(3):e2019WR025360.10.1029/2019WR025360.
China Agricultural Economics
Tian, M., Liu, R., Wang, J., Liang, J., Nian, Y., & Ma, H. (2024). How to promote the sustainability of China’s rural waste management system: Increase government subsidies or increase waste service management fees? Natural Resources Forum, 2024. 10.1111/1477-8947.12454.
Tian, M., Liu, R., Wang, J., Liang, J., Nian, Y., & Ma, H. (2023). Impact of environmental values and information awareness on the adoption of soil testing and formula fertilization technology by farmers: A case study considering social networks. Agriculture, 13(10). 10.3390/agriculture131020083.
Liu, R., Gao, Z., Nian, Y., & Ma, H. (2020). Does social relation or economic interest affect the choice behavior of land lease agreement in China? Evidence from the largest wheat producing Henan province. Sustainability, 2020(12):4279. 10.3390/su12104279.
Will stated attribute non-attendance questions introduce bias to respondents’ behaviors in choice experiments? (Nian, Y., Gao, Z., Nayga, R., Van Asselt, J., & Zhao, Y.)
Abstract: Extensive literature has suggested that attribute non-attendance (ANA) behavior in choice experiments (CEs) may significantly influence respondents’ preferences and WTP estimates. However, limited attention has been placed on investigating the impact of stated ANA questions on respondents’ underlying choice behavior mechanisms and decision processes. This paper assesses whether and to what extent including the stated ANA questions in CEs may lead to respondents’ behavioral changes in CEs. Results show that although the stated ANA questions at the choice-task level might reveal more information on respondents’ ANA behaviors than one stated ANA question in the CE, the choice-task level stated ANA questions may significantly increase the respondents’ cognitive burden. Compared to the CE without the stated ANA questions, respondents spend more time finishing choice tasks after answering the stated ANA questions. In addition, the stated ANA questions in the middle of CE may also affect respondents’ choice attribute processing strategies, and thus, influence the WTP estimates.
A diamond in the rough: Identifying heritage crop niche markets in the U.S. using a discrete choice experiment. (Nian, Y., Lamie, R. D., Vassalos, M., Tregeagle, D., Boyles, B., & Vossbrinck, D.)
Abstract: Identifying and developing market opportunities for heritage crops and promoting the production of heritage crops can potentially be an effective and advantageous strategy to conserve them; however, much is not known about U.S. consumers’ awareness, interest, and preferences for heritage crops. In this study, we conducted a national consumer survey and used a discrete choice experiment with five different crop products (i.e., apple, cabbage, rice, squash, and tomato) to systematically investigate U.S. consumers’ preferences for heritage crop varieties of these common food products. We also examined whether consumer preferences for heritage crops vary by crop type (i.e., fruit, leafy greens, cereal, cucurbits, and vegetable crops), living area (i.e., rural, urban, small town, and suburb), and U.S. region. We found that U.S. consumers’ awareness of heritage crops tends to be limited. Consumers’ willingness-to-pay (WTP) for heritage crops is relatively modest and largely dependent on crop type. However, their WTP for heritage crops does not seem to vary across U.S. regions or by whether they live in cities, suburbia, or rural areas. The findings of this study provide substantial empirical evidence to help develop and refine marketing opportunities for heritage crops in the U.S. and to formulate effective strategies to help conserve heritage crops for future generations.
Perception of food fraud and preferences for authenticity test in the Chinese online food market. (Wang, E., Gao, Z., & Nian, Y.)
Abstract: With the development of new technologies that can change food appearance and taste, food fraud has become an increasingly critical issue in the food market worldwide, especially in the online food market. In China, there has been an increasing number of food fraud events occurring over the past decades. Using survey data collected from 935 online beefsteak buyers in China, this study analyzes consumers’ preferences for food authenticity test information in online beefsteak shopping scenarios and explores consumer surplus changes when the authenticity test is offered. Our results show that Chinese consumers perceive high food fraud risk when they purchase beefsteak online. They tend to have stable preferences for authenticity test information, including the meat glue test, the DNA test, and the verification of Halal food, when purchasing beefsteak online. We also find that consumers with high consumption levels are more likely to use price as a quality cue to avoid food fraud. Consumers with low consumption levels may receive more consumer surplus from authenticity testing. This study provides important insight for policymakers and food companies when evaluating the benefits of offering food authenticity test information and designing pricing strategies with consumption stratification in the online food market.
Nian, Y., Gao, Z., Morgan, K., Moss, C., & Zhao, X. Crop insurance, cost-sharing programs, and growers’ adaption to climate change: An agent-based model of specialty crop growers’ adoption of high tunnels in Florida.
Nian, Y., Gao, Z., Morgan, K., Moss, C., & Zhao, X. Intra- and inter- temporal risks in specialty crop producers’ technology adoption.
Nian, Y., Mattia, M., Gmitter, F., Gao, Z., & Chen, J. The impact of health claims on consumers’ willingness-to-pay for food products: Does the format matter?
Nian, Y., Gao, Z., Morgan, K., Moss, C., & Zhao, X. The role of reference points in specialty producers’ technology adoption under risks.
Duan, D., Uddin, A., Nian, Y., Nguyen, L., & Gao, Z. Tracing the trend in research about consumer preferences for eco-labeled food: A text-mining and topic-modeling approach.
Duan, D., Nian, Y., Gao, Z., Xu, N., Zhao, X., Hong, J., & Rosskopf, E. Economic evaluation of anaerobic soil disinfestation in open-field organic strawberry production.