What Ohioans Think about What Ohioans Think about AgricultureAgriculture

2007 OLC Annual Meeting & Industry Symposium2007 OLC Annual Meeting & Industry Symposium

Jeff S. Sharp, Ohio State UniversityJeff S. Sharp, Ohio State University

April 3, 2007April 3, 2007

Core Project of the SRICore Project of the SRI

Goals of Survey ProjectGoals of Survey Project

Study topical and emergent FAE issuesStudy topical and emergent FAE issues Data for planning and evaluationData for planning and evaluation Track changes across timeTrack changes across time

Cohort effects: older versus younger generationsCohort effects: older versus younger generations Intervening events, such as Mad cow; energy, etc.Intervening events, such as Mad cow; energy, etc. Changes in knowledge or awareness due to an Changes in knowledge or awareness due to an

educational campaign, or societal trendeducational campaign, or societal trend

Goals of Today’s PresentationGoals of Today’s Presentation

Describe Ohioans attitudes about the food and Describe Ohioans attitudes about the food and farming systemfarming system

Identify important factors associated with Identify important factors associated with Ohioans attitudes and behaviors related to Ohioans attitudes and behaviors related to farmingfarming

Prompt some strategic thinking about Prompt some strategic thinking about challenges and opportunities presented by this challenges and opportunities presented by this researchresearch

2006 Survey2006 Survey

Mail survey returned from 1,729 OhioansMail survey returned from 1,729 Ohioans Response rate of 55%Response rate of 55%

Respondents compare favorably to known Respondents compare favorably to known characteristics of Ohio populationcharacteristics of Ohio population

A higher proportion of respondents were homeowners A higher proportion of respondents were homeowners than is true of Ohio’s general populationthan is true of Ohio’s general population

Just over 3 percent of respondents resided on a Just over 3 percent of respondents resided on a farmfarm

Ohioans Knowledge of Ohioans Knowledge of How/Where Food is GrownHow/Where Food is Grown

Self-reported level of knowledge about Self-reported level of knowledge about how or where food is grownhow or where food is grown

20%

65%

15%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Not at allKnowledgeable

SomewhatKnowledgeable

Very Knowledgeable

Percent “Very Knowledgeable” Percent “Very Knowledgeable” by regionby region

18%15%

13% 12%

27%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

North

west

South

east

Central South

west

North

east

Percent “Not at all knowledgeable” Percent “Not at all knowledgeable” by Ageby Age

35%

18% 18%13%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

35 andyounger

36 to 50 51 to 64 65 and over

Ohioans Views of Food, Ohioans Views of Food, Agricultural, and Agricultural, and

Environmental IssuesEnvironmental Issues

Issue Concern (% Very Concerned)Issue Concern (% Very Concerned)20042004 20062006

Rising Obesity among AmericansRising Obesity among Americans 6969 7373

Loss of Ohio jobs due to globalizationLoss of Ohio jobs due to globalization -- 7373

Pollution of rivers, streams or groundwaterPollution of rivers, streams or groundwater 6565 7272

Loss of farmland due to urban growthLoss of farmland due to urban growth 5555 7070

Loss of family farmsLoss of family farms 6060 6363

Terrorist attack on U.S. food supplyTerrorist attack on U.S. food supply -- 6060

Avian Influenza (Bird flu)Avian Influenza (Bird flu) -- 5757

Mad cow diseaseMad cow disease 4242 5151

Global WarmingGlobal Warming 2929 4141

Genetic modification of plantsGenetic modification of plants 3333 4040

Large-scale poultry/livestock developmentLarge-scale poultry/livestock development 2929 4040

Views of FarmingViews of Farming

Overall, farming positively contributes to the Overall, farming positively contributes to the quality of life in Ohioquality of life in Ohio 2006: 88 percent agree or strongly agree2006: 88 percent agree or strongly agree 2004: 90 percent2004: 90 percent 2002: 92 percent2002: 92 percent

Ag & EconomyAg & Economy

Ohio’s Economy will suffer if the state continues Ohio’s Economy will suffer if the state continues to lose farmersto lose farmers 2006: 84 percent agree or strongly agree2006: 84 percent agree or strongly agree 2004: 85 percent2004: 85 percent 2002: 80 percent2002: 80 percent

NEW: Even though farmers are a small NEW: Even though farmers are a small proportion of Ohio’s population, many jobs in the proportion of Ohio’s population, many jobs in the state are dependent on a successful farming state are dependent on a successful farming sectorsector 2006: 72 percent agree or strongly agree2006: 72 percent agree or strongly agree

Views of FarmersViews of Farmers

I trust Ohio farmers to protect the environmentI trust Ohio farmers to protect the environment 2006: 63 percent agree or strongly agree2006: 63 percent agree or strongly agree 2004: 67 percent2004: 67 percent 2002: 60 percent2002: 60 percent

Food SafetyFood Safety

Food is not as safe as it was 10 years agoFood is not as safe as it was 10 years ago 2006: 44% agree or strongly agree2006: 44% agree or strongly agree 2004: 47%2004: 47% 2002: 39%2002: 39%

Animal WelfareAnimal Welfare

In general, increased regulation of the In general, increased regulation of the treatment of animals in farming is neededtreatment of animals in farming is needed 2006: 51 percent agree or strongly agree2006: 51 percent agree or strongly agree 2004: 47 percent2004: 47 percent 2002: 48 percent2002: 48 percent

Concern about Large-Scale Concern about Large-Scale Poultry/Livestock DevelopmentPoultry/Livestock Development

20042004 20062006% Very Concerned% Very Concerned

Large-scale livestock developmentLarge-scale livestock development 2929 4040

Concern about Large-scale Livestock by Concern about Large-scale Livestock by region, 2002-06*region, 2002-06*

(% Very Concerned)(% Very Concerned)

2821

4035

27 24

4845 44

37 3633

17 15

32

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

North

west

South

east

Central North

east

South

west

2002 2004 2006

*Response options changed between 2002 & 2004*Response options changed between 2002 & 2004

% Very Concerned by age% Very Concerned by age

22%

32%

39%

31%

46%

31%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

40 or younger 41 to 60 years 61 and older

2004 2006

Ohioans Participation in Ohioans Participation in Rural/Farm Related Rural/Farm Related

ActivitiesActivities

Participation in Rural/Farm Related ActivitiesParticipation in Rural/Farm Related Activities

ActivityActivity % Occasionally % Occasionally or Frequentlyor Frequently

Recreational drive through the countryRecreational drive through the country 8282

Purchase at farmer’s market or Purchase at farmer’s market or roadside standroadside stand

7777

Buy locally grown foodsBuy locally grown foods 7676

Attend county fair/festivalAttend county fair/festival 5858

Visit pick your own farmVisit pick your own farm 3737

Tour/visit working farmTour/visit working farm 1616

Attend farm organization eventAttend farm organization event 1111

The Social Basis of The Social Basis of Agricultural Behaviors & Agricultural Behaviors &

AttitudesAttitudes

Factors associated with Participation Factors associated with Participation in Rural/Farm Related Activitiesin Rural/Farm Related Activities

Older Ohioans, persons who grew up on a farm, Older Ohioans, persons who grew up on a farm, current farm residents, and Farm Bureau members are current farm residents, and Farm Bureau members are more likely to engage in Rural/Farm Related more likely to engage in Rural/Farm Related activitiesactivities

More educated, urban, and suburban Ohioans less More educated, urban, and suburban Ohioans less likely to engage in rural/farm related activitieslikely to engage in rural/farm related activities

Persons with Persons with pro-environmental behaviorspro-environmental behaviors more more likely to participate in rural/farm related activitieslikely to participate in rural/farm related activities

Factors associated with Factors associated with Agricultural KnowledgeAgricultural Knowledge

Strong association between level of Strong association between level of participation in ag/rural related activitiesparticipation in ag/rural related activities and and knowledgeknowledge

Additional positive association between age, Additional positive association between age, growing up on a farm, frequency of visiting growing up on a farm, frequency of visiting with a farmer, and pro-environmental with a farmer, and pro-environmental behaviorsbehaviors

Women report lower levels of knowledge Women report lower levels of knowledge relative to men relative to men

Factors associated with pro-Factors associated with pro-agricultural attitudesagricultural attitudes

Strong association between Strong association between participation in participation in rural/farm activitiesrural/farm activities and supportive attitudes and supportive attitudes

Stronger ag. support among older Ohioans, Stronger ag. support among older Ohioans, those more frequently conversing with those more frequently conversing with farmers, more politically conservative, and farmers, more politically conservative, and persons engaging in pro-environmental persons engaging in pro-environmental behaviorsbehaviors

Ag. support lower among residents of core Ag. support lower among residents of core cities and suburbscities and suburbs

Factors Associated with Agro-Factors Associated with Agro-Environmental ConcernEnvironmental Concern

Greater concern about agriculture and the Greater concern about agriculture and the environment among women, older Ohioans, environment among women, older Ohioans, farm residents, among those farm residents, among those participating in participating in rural/farm related activitiesrural/farm related activities, and those with , and those with pro-environmental behaviorspro-environmental behaviors

Concern lower among more educated, those Concern lower among more educated, those frequently conversing with farmers, and Farm frequently conversing with farmers, and Farm Bureau membersBureau members

5 ideas to take away from 5 ideas to take away from this presentationthis presentation

#1: Agriculture Enjoys #1: Agriculture Enjoys Widespread Support among Widespread Support among

OhioansOhioans

#2: Must Prepare for #2: Must Prepare for Generational Transitions:Generational Transitions:

Knowledge, participation & Knowledge, participation & support consistently higher support consistently higher

among older Ohioansamong older Ohioans

#3: Farmer-Nonfarmer #3: Farmer-Nonfarmer Relationships Matter:Relationships Matter:

Visiting with a farmer Visiting with a farmer associated with increased associated with increased

support & reduced concernssupport & reduced concerns

(63% of Ohioans report having no conversations (63% of Ohioans report having no conversations with farm household members)with farm household members)

#4: Building Bridges to #4: Building Bridges to Nonfarmers—Participation in Nonfarmers—Participation in Farm & Rural “Recreation” Farm & Rural “Recreation”

Strongly Associated with Strongly Associated with Knowledge & Attitudes:Knowledge & Attitudes:

Must be prepared for the Must be prepared for the consequence, thoughconsequence, though

#5: Is There any Common Ground #5: Is There any Common Ground with the Environmental with the Environmental

Community?:Community?:

Many Ohio “environmentalists” Many Ohio “environmentalists” self report strong interest and self report strong interest and

sympathy for the food & farming sympathy for the food & farming sectorsector

Next StepsNext Steps

Focus on Farm Animal WelfareFocus on Farm Animal Welfare Team of sociologists and animal scientistsTeam of sociologists and animal scientists Spring 2007 Ohio and National survey focusing on Spring 2007 Ohio and National survey focusing on

farm animal welfare attitudes and knowledgefarm animal welfare attitudes and knowledge 2008 Statewide survey2008 Statewide survey

Continue to track attitudes about agriculture; focus Continue to track attitudes about agriculture; focus on consumer, values, and food consumptionon consumer, values, and food consumption

Questions?Questions?

Contact Information:Contact Information:Jeff S. SharpJeff S. Sharp

sharp.123@osu.edusharp.123@osu.edu614-292-9410614-292-9410

http//.ohiosurvey.osu.eduhttp//.ohiosurvey.osu.edu