Exploring consumer preferences for animal care and rearing practices across species and products
Abstract
Consumers of animal products are increasingly demonstrating concern about livestock animal treatment and care. An online survey was conducted in the Summer of 2012 to better understand consumer perceptions of livestock, especially pork, products and animal species. Purchasing behaviors, pet ownership and demographic information were also collected. Lunchmeat and smoked ham were purchased by 88% and 84% of households in the sample, respectively. Through the use of choice experiments, willingness to pay (WTP) values for three verified (USDA Process Verified Program (PVP), a retailer or pork industry certification) attributes (pasture access, antibiotic use and individual crates/stall) in smoked ham and ham lunchmeat were estimated. Positive WTP values were estimated for all but one attribute-verifier combination investigated for both ham products evaluated. Participants were willing to pay the most for USDA-PVP verified pasture access in the smoked ham model ($4.34/lb) and USDA-PVP verified non-use of antibiotics in the ham lunchmeat model ($4.05/lb). More research is needed to better understand the value of the whole hog carcass. Pet ownership was found to be related to views on livestock animal treatment and perceived obligations to animals. Media sources for animal welfare information were also investigated; 56% of survey respondents did not report having a source for animal welfare information. Livestock and other agricultural industries need to be cognizant of consumer concerns, both related to food safety and animal treatment, as evidenced by the lean finely textured beef (LFTB) media events of 2012. Although LFTB was USDA approved, consumers were vocal in expressing their concerns about the product. Livestock industries might want to consider a more proactive (and transparent) approach, instead of reactive, when communicating with consumers.
Degree
M.S.
Advisors
Olynk Widmar, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Agricultural economics
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