Organic and Conventional Milk Consumers in San Luis Obispo County

Signature iii ABSTRACT This study was conducted to collect data about milk consumers in San Luis Obispo County. Surveys were created and administered to grocery store shoppers at five different cities in San Luis Obispo County. These surveys included questions about demographics, purchasing behavior, and desirability ratings. The data was inputted into a computer and then analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). First, data from the entire sample was analyzed using frequency tables and descriptives. Next, statistical tests were performed on the questions with two independent variables: organic milk consumers and conventional milk consumers. The output from the tests was used to compare the two groups. A relationship was found to exist between income and whether a respondent was an organic or conventional milk consumer. Organic milk consumers tended to have higher incomes. Organic milk consumers were found to purchase less packages of milk, less gallons, and more half-gallons than conventional milk consumers. Organic milk consumers rated milk " produced with environmentally friendly packaging, " " produced organically, " " and produced in an environmentally friendly way " higher than conventional milk consumers. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page 1.