Atlantic Corporation provides agricultural business and economic research and development. Over the last year, with the support of the USDA Agriculture and Food Research Initiative funding, we have developed a business planning tool for the dairy industry. The Dairy Market Assessment and Planning System (DairyMAPS) provides detailed information regarding consumer attitudes and preferences about dairy products at the national, regional, and state levels. The tool is available at www.atlanticcorporation.com/dairymaps.

The consumer survey informing DairyMAPS was administered online and contained 50 questions, many with multiple parts. A total of 20,040 responses were collected of which 97% or 19,404 consumed dairy while 636 responses or 3.6% of the survey sample did not consume dairy. The survey spanned the following categories: awareness, knowledge, impact, concerns, expenditures, willingness to pay, local availability, local quality, and packaging.

The DairyMAPS audience includes farmers, food processors, extension professionals, research scientists, and state departments of agriculture. The tool can be used to inform business, sales, and marketing plans, based on consumer demand.

Atlantic Corporation is a leading business and economic research and development firm. Our team and national network of experts provide exceptional research and development services for agriculture, including aquaculture and local food. We work collaboratively with clients to develop innovative solutions that propel sustainable natural resource-based, rural economies. Our work propels successful commercial transformations, product and business launches, and the development of significant new revenue streams from the creative use of business intelligence.