Marketing by Design

The Southern Agricultural Economics Association has made great contributions to our profession. In doing so, it has provided a platform for its members to conduct research, teaching, and Extension education that contributed significantly to the economic growth and success of Southern agriculture and rural communities. I am humbled by the honor received through this Lifetime Achievement Award and want to thank the association and the many colleagues across the profession and in my department at Texas A&M University for their partnership and support over the years. I also want to thankmy wife and family for the contributions they have made to my professional career. Their interest and understanding helped me see through some of the difficult choices and times; and they were there for the celebrations as well. In this article, I have chosen a theme that, to me, has defined much of my professional career. We all have stories or life narratives. This is one of mine. How can farmers engage in, or influence, downstream marketing activities in a way that increases returns for what would otherwise be a simple sale of a commodity at the market price? The idea of design in the context of marketing decisions of farmers evolved in my mind as the result of early experience on the farm and exposure in college to ideas that have influenced my career ever since.