Communication with the Younger Consumers About

Animal Agriculture

Temple Grandin Department of Animal Sciences

Colorado State University

Big Frustration

Many practices on farms and slaughter plants have improved

Problem – Many young consumers may not know about them

Percentage of Beef Plants That Stunned 95% or More Cattle with the First Shot

USDA survey prior to industry

wide auditing

McDonald‘sAudits started

Continued auditing by major customers

Continuous auditing maintains good performance.

The BAD OLD days in the 1980’s and 1990’s were

really terrible

Problems at Slaughter Plants Were Easier to Fix Than Problems on the Farm

Simple fixes:

Better stunner maintenance

Nonslip floors

Employee training

Minor equipment changes

Young Consumer’s Severe Lack of Knowledge

50% of young adults in the UK failed to connect pigs with bacon

(Credit: LEAF, 2012)

Millennials are getting further and further removed

from agriculture

Over 50% have never been on a farm

(Credit: Purdue University, 2015)

The Millennial Generation is more concerned about where their food comes from

21% social media is primary news source (credit Shea Bennet, Infographic, 2013)

30 to 35% read Wall Street Journal or New York Times (credit Comscore, 2014)

Younger consumers put more emphasis on shared values than on the scientific fact

Factors alone not enough

Center for Food Integrity, 2015

Survey of 798 U.S. Households on Animal Welfare Issues

Younger women most concerned

Respondents in Midwest reported less concern than other regions in the U.S.

McKendra et al., 2014, JAS

Social Media Effects on Communication

On Social Media, responses are quick and emotional instead of taking the time to be thoughtful

Encourages people to stay in their silos and only communicate with people who share their values

Generational Differences in Sources of Information

• Older generation – national trusted news source

• Younger generation – many different sources. Voices of extremists on both sides of an issue are magnified

Who Do They Trust?

Somebody they can relate to with shared values

A scientist who is a mom is more trusted than a government scientist

Center for Food Integrity, 2015

Agriculture Must Become Totally

Transparent

Good Examples of Transparency

Fair Oaks Farm Pig Adventures

http://fofarms.com/adventures/pig-adventure

Visiting a farm and talking to a farmer improves perception

53% of consumers think ranchers and farmers are trustworthy

Only 17% consider food manufacturers trustworthy

Sullivan, Higdon and Sullivan, 2013

ShsFoodthink.com

Video Tour of Beef Plant Featuring Temple Grandin -

YouTube

www.youtube.comwatch?v=VMqyyXswono

This video improved attitudes (Oklahoma State University 2015 survey)

Ag Gag Laws Hurt the Credibility of Agriculture

Open the Barnyard Doors: Transparency and the Resurgence of Ag Gag and Veggie Label Laws Nicola Negaweth, Seattle University Law Review, 2015

Many young people have little understanding of the world of practical things

Young business majors hired by a meat company thought they could email grocers and manage their accounts totally online

Ohio Survey 2007 Consumer Willing to Pay More

Local 72% Humane 59% Organic 51% Fair Trade 57%

Some Surveys Show Big is Bad

Avian Flu and Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea

Losses to poultry industry in two states almost one billion dollars

Total U.S. egg supply dropped 35%

Porcine epidemic diarrhea in 2014 – Loss 10% to 20% of all piglets

Big is Fragile

Storms Disease Deliberate Damage

Photo Credit: globalnews.ca

Trade Offs in Farm Animal Housing Systems

Big systems are efficient but catastrophic when they fail

Animal Productivity vs. Welfare

Genetic Selection for Productivity vs. Disease Resistance

Efficiency vs. Welfare

Trade Off Examples Overload a truck and save on freight even if more pigs

die

High percentage of keel bone fractures in modern laying hens

Reproductive problems in high producing dairy cows

Welfare friendly housing slightly lowered production

Cage Free hen housing poorer air quality but more natural behavior

Future

Younger consumer’s decisions will be more based on values

Agricultural industry must become completely transparent and show everything

Animal Agriculture will need to change some of their practices

For More Scientific Information

T. Grandin (2014)

Animal Welfare and Society Concerns: Finding the Missing

Link, Meat Science, 96:461-469