Participation in an educational dairy farm event related to consumers' motivations and dairy production beliefs

Lindsay Kay Nobbe, Purdue University

Abstract

Consumers who participate in non-formal, educational, on-farm events are able to connect what they hear and see from others to what actually occurs in the food production system, allowing them to make more informed decisions. If organizations based in agriculture are able to develop programs tailored to consumers' motivations for attending non-formal, educational, on-farm events, then they would have greater opportunity to more effectively deliver messages to their respective target audiences. In addition, knowing consumers' beliefs regarding dairy industry practices pertaining to animal welfare, environmental care, and food safety would allow agriculture industry-supported organizations to better focus the topics of their messages for consumers. Lastly, if these organizations knew what sources of food purchasing information consumers used as well as who consumers trust for this information, then they also would be able to increase the efficiency and accuracy of their message delivery. All of these benefits would help to move toward a more informed society that is better equipped to make decisions that ultimately affect the agricultural industry. Therefore, the purpose of this descriptive study was to explain and predict consumers' participation in a place-based learning experience on a dairy farm based on consumers' interest motivation to participate in a free educational dairy event, adult consumers' beliefs of the dairy industry, the channels of information that adult consumers use to inform their food choices, and the sources that they trust for the same information. The place-based learning experience was a three-hour event at an Indiana dairy farm where local consumers had the opportunity to enjoy a brunch meal, meet a local dairy farm family, and participate in a personal tour of the farm. There were 202 consumers who responded to the mailed questionnaire approximately six months after the event. The study resulted in four major conclusions. First, participants and those who did not participate in the educational dairy farm event were similar in their beliefs of the dairy industry's animal welfare, environmental care, and food safety practices. Second, participants were more motivated to attend a free educational dairy farm event than those who did not participate. Third, nearly three of four consumers in an Indiana community would attend an educational event on a dairy farm if they: (1) were highly motivated to attend educational agricultural events because it is fun, interesting, and enjoyable, (2) were highly motivated to attend educational agricultural events out of desire to acquire new knowledge and meet a challenge, (3) were highly motivated to attend educational agricultural events out of desire to be nutritionally healthy, (4) were very familiar with agriculture or directly involved with it, (5) agreed or strongly agreed with the animal welfare practices that dairy farmers implement, and (6) resided in households that report consuming, on average, at least three gallons of fluid milk per week while at home. Fourth, participants were more frequently informed by family and/or friends and educational events when making food purchasing decisions than those who did not participate. The study's results may benefit agriculture industry-supported organizations to develop non-formal, educational events that are more appealing to their target audiences as well as market those events in a way that will entice more consumers to attend. In addition, those organizations will be able to more effectively and efficiently deliver their key messages to consumers. Future studies should focus on utilization of data collection methods beyond a questionnaire so that more qualitative information may be obtained, continuation of theory development because theory-based consumer motivations have not been used frequently in previous agricultural-based studies, and replication in other contexts, such as agritourism.

Degree

M.S.

Advisors

Knobloch, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Agricultural education

COinS