In order to meet the research objective of the committee, it was 

 first necessary to describe and classify current egg marketing systems 

 and practices in the northeast. Next, locational economic models may 

 be used to evaluate various alternative egg marketing systems within 

 the region. This procedure should aid in the determination of the 

 optimum system, or combination of systems, to best service the markets 

 involved. 



This report presents information from the first phase of the study 

 which consists of description and classification of current egg marketing 

 systems and practices, for the New England sub-region. Data are present- 

 ed for all states in New England, with the exception of Rhode Island, 

 and refer chiefly to 1965. 



RESEARCH PROCEDURE 



Basic Procedure 



The basic procedure used was to collect information by personal 

 interview from a stratified random sample of egg marketing firms. The 

 universe was defined to include all firms that performed shell eg«r 

 marketing functions, including producers performing marketing 

 functions, and excluding dairies and retailers if they did not 

 candle or carton eggs. To be included in the universe, firms, other than 

 producers and a few wholesalers, had to handle at least 100 cases of eggs 

 per week. Thus, the marketing functions with which the study was con- 

 cerned were those intermediate between production and final sale. 



Interview Schedule 



The Technical Committee determined the information needed for 

 the study and developed an interview schedule to meet these information 

 requirements. 



Preliminary Survey 



In order to identify and classify existing firms for sampling pur- 

 poses, a preliminary mail survey was made. A brief one-page question- 

 naire was sent to all firms suspected of performing egg marketing func- 

 tions. The questionnaire asked for an identification of the major type of 

 business, the volume of eggs handled in cases per week, and an enumera- 

 tion of marketing functions performed. The preliminary surve) was 

 made in all states in New England except Rhode Island. 



Classifications 



Based on the information gathered in the preliminary survey, the 

 following major types of firms were identified according to primary 

 marketing functions performed: 



1. Producer — A firm that produced more than 50 percent of the 

 eggs handled. 



2. Packer — A firm that candled and cartoned more than 50 per 

 cent of the eggs bandied. 



