Introduction (one paragraph) — Start with a discussion about why you chose this commodity. Be specific. Examples could include your family is involved in production of the commodity; you grew up in an area where the commodity was produced; it is your favorite food product.
Consumption
Discuss how per capita consumption of your commodity has changed over the last twenty or more years? This could include a discussion regarding how trends in consumption have changed due to health concerns, convenience, new packaging (e.g., think about how iceberg lettuce is primarily now consumed in bags versus heads), or in what forms the product is consumed (raw, highly processed, canned, or frozen).
Discuss whether the product is consumed as a primary or secondary input (e.g., corn syrup), or if there are preferences for different kinds of product lines (e.g., low fat versus whole milk). Check out the web address below for spreadsheets from the USDA for levels of Per Capita Consumption in the United States for all kinds of food products over time. (Be sure to scroll down.)https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-availability-per-capita-data-system/Links to an external site.
Are there geographic areas that have high levels of consumption relative to other areas? If so, why? What are the primary substitutes for this commodity?
What has changed in the marketplace in the last 10 to 20 years in the way people regard this product? Have there been food safety concerns, health scares, or popular nutritional news that changed consumer interest?
Is the product advertised? If so, describe how the industry or companies have promoted the product.
3. Production, Costs and Supply:
What is the current level of U.S. production? How have U.S. production levels changed over the last 20 or more years?
How has technology impacted U.S. production?
What are the significant states or regions of production in the United States? Why is the commodity produced in these states or regions?
What are the dominant companies (e.g., Gallo wine, Blue Diamond almonds, Sunkist oranges) in terms of sales volume? Describe their volume of sales compared to the rest of the market.
4. Conclusion/Outlook –
Have government interventions impacted consumption trends? What is the future outlook for this commodity in the United States? What are your expectations for this commodity in terms of retail and consumer preferences?
According to industry experts, what is the future supply outlook for this commodity in the United States? What U.S. government regulations have impacted production trends? Based on the evidence provided in body of the paper, explain why you believe U.S. supply will grow, remain constant, or decline in the coming years.
Information sources must be cited in-text and in the references section. Sources NOT identified throughout text will result in the loss of points.
A minimum of three sources is At least one scholarly source (e.g., journal article, book, or web pages with .edu or .gov) must be cited. Note: .org and .com are NOT scholarly.
All citations must adhere to Chicago, APA or MLA citation styles guides. Be cognizant of style requirements when citing web pages. (Handout for the Chicago Manual of Style http://web.calstatela.edu/library/guides/3chicago.pdfLinks to an external site., The American Psychological Association (APA) citation style http://libguides.csufresno.edu/content.php?pid=234847&sid=1943053Links to an external site.)
The USDA website contains a wealth of information regarding food and fiber products, check out their Outlook publications in the Search window of: http://ers.usda.gov/Links to an external site.
