Perceptions of Concentrated Perceptions of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations Animal Feeding Operations

(CAFOs)(CAFOs)

Presentation by Jeff S. SharpPresentation by Jeff S. Sharp

OLC Annual Meeting & Industry OLC Annual Meeting & Industry SymposiumSymposium

Plain City, OhioPlain City, Ohio

February 24, 2003February 24, 2003

Contact InformationContact Information

Jeff S. SharpJeff S. Sharp 311 Ag. Admin. Bldg.311 Ag. Admin. Bldg. 2120 Fyffe Road2120 Fyffe Road Columbus, OH 43210Columbus, OH 43210

E-mail: sharp.123@osu.eduE-mail: sharp.123@osu.edu Phone: 614-292-9410Phone: 614-292-9410

Outline of PresentationOutline of Presentation

Project backgroundProject background General ag-related findingsGeneral ag-related findings Livestock related attitudesLivestock related attitudes

Familiarity with the issuesFamiliarity with the issues Level of concern about large-scale livestockLevel of concern about large-scale livestock

Conclusions & future plansConclusions & future plans

Project BackgroundProject Background

Data are from the 2002 Version of the Data are from the 2002 Version of the Ohio Survey of Food, Agriculture, and Ohio Survey of Food, Agriculture, and Environmental IssuesEnvironmental Issues A biennial survey of Ohioans funded by A biennial survey of Ohioans funded by

OSU Department of Human & Community OSU Department of Human & Community Resource DevelopmentResource Development

OSU Extension, OARDC, College of FAESOSU Extension, OARDC, College of FAES

Focus on social issues in agriculture as they Focus on social issues in agriculture as they relate to the ecological paradigmrelate to the ecological paradigm

Survey MethodologySurvey Methodology

A stratified sample of 7,976 Ohioans was A stratified sample of 7,976 Ohioans was selected from rural and Urban Ohioselected from rural and Urban Ohio

Response rate of 56.4% was achievedResponse rate of 56.4% was achieved Over 4,000 respondentsOver 4,000 respondents

Survey Sample Compared to Survey Sample Compared to State Population StatisticsState Population Statistics

Sample closely matches 2000 Census Sample closely matches 2000 Census statistics on:statistics on: gender, age (over 24), households w/ kids, gender, age (over 24), households w/ kids,

employment status and household incomesemployment status and household incomes

LimitationsLimitations sample had lower proportion of renters, lower # of sample had lower proportion of renters, lower # of

18-24 year olds, and lower proportion of African 18-24 year olds, and lower proportion of African Americans than expected compared to state Americans than expected compared to state population statisticspopulation statistics

Respondents by place of residenceRespondents by place of residence

0

10

20

30

40

Yes (%) 30 36 18 13 3

City SuburbSmall

Town

Country

(n.f.)Farm

Ohioans Social Links Ohioans Social Links to Farming and Rural to Farming and Rural AreasAreas

Parents ever owned or operated a Parents ever owned or operated a farm farm

0

10

20

30

40

50

Yes (%) 23 20 39

State Metro Nonmetro

Grandparents ever owned or Grandparents ever owned or operated a farmoperated a farm

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Yes (%) 49 46 63

State Metro Nonmetro

Number of farmers knownNumber of farmers known

0

20

40

60

State 41 39 20

Metro 46 40 14

Nonmetro 15 36 49

None 1 to 5 6 or more

Observation on Ohioans Observation on Ohioans Social Links to Ag.Social Links to Ag.

Despite a very small proportion of Despite a very small proportion of Ohioans residing on farms, many Ohioans residing on farms, many Ohioans have connections to agriculture Ohioans have connections to agriculture through family histories or regular social through family histories or regular social interactioninteraction These relationships can be an important These relationships can be an important

social resource—for teaching about social resource—for teaching about agriculture, for garnering support, etc.agriculture, for garnering support, etc.

Views of Agriculture, Views of Agriculture, Farmers and the Farmers and the EnvironmentEnvironment

Q.Q. Overall, farming positively Overall, farming positively contributes to the quality of contributes to the quality of life in Ohiolife in Ohio

1% Strongly Disagreed or Disagreed1% Strongly Disagreed or Disagreed

7% Undecided7% Undecided

92% Agreed or Strongly Agreed92% Agreed or Strongly Agreed

Q.Q. Ohio’s economy will suffer if Ohio’s economy will suffer if it continues to lose farmersit continues to lose farmers

5% Strongly Disagreed or Disagreed5% Strongly Disagreed or Disagreed

15% Undecided15% Undecided

80% Agreed or Strongly Agreed80% Agreed or Strongly Agreed

Q. I trust Ohio farmers to protect Q. I trust Ohio farmers to protect the environment. the environment.

12% Strongly Disagreed or Disagreed12% Strongly Disagreed or Disagreed

29% Undecided29% Undecided

59% Agreed or Strongly Agreed59% Agreed or Strongly Agreed

Q. Ohio farmers are generally Q. Ohio farmers are generally sensitive to the concerns of sensitive to the concerns of nonfarm neighbors. nonfarm neighbors.

11% Strongly Disagreed or Disagreed11% Strongly Disagreed or Disagreed

45% Undecided45% Undecided

44% Agreed or Strongly Agreed44% Agreed or Strongly Agreed

Q. Environmental protection laws Q. Environmental protection laws regulating farming practices are regulating farming practices are too strict. too strict.

19% Strongly Disagreed or Disagreed19% Strongly Disagreed or Disagreed

59% Undecided59% Undecided

22% Agreed or Strongly Agreed22% Agreed or Strongly Agreed

Observation on Farmers and Observation on Farmers and the Environmentthe Environment

There is a tremendous repository of good There is a tremendous repository of good will toward farming and farmers among will toward farming and farmers among Ohioans but…Ohioans but…

There appears to be a sizable amount of There appears to be a sizable amount of indecision regarding farming’s impact on indecision regarding farming’s impact on the environmentthe environment The Ohio Survey will be monitoring this The Ohio Survey will be monitoring this

indecision to identify any trendsindecision to identify any trends

Ohioans Views of Ohioans Views of Large-Scale Livestock Large-Scale Livestock and Poultryand Poultry

Familiarity with Livestock Familiarity with Livestock IssuesIssues

Respondents were asked: Are you Respondents were asked: Are you familiar with the issues associated with familiar with the issues associated with large-scale poultry and livestock large-scale poultry and livestock facilities?facilities?

33 percent of respondents indicated “yes”33 percent of respondents indicated “yes” 67 percent indicated “no”67 percent indicated “no”

Familiarity by place of residenceFamiliarity by place of residence

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Yes (%) 30 33 46 52

City or

suburb

Small

town

Country

(nonfarm)

Country

(farm)

Familiarity by region of the stateFamiliarity by region of the state

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Yes (%) 55 43 34 27 25

CentralNorth

west

South

east

South

west

North

east

Concern about livestockConcern about livestock

How concerned are you about the How concerned are you about the development of large-scale poultry and development of large-scale poultry and livestock production facilities in Ohio?livestock production facilities in Ohio?

21 percent very concerned21 percent very concerned 51 percent somewhat concerned51 percent somewhat concerned 28 percent not at all concerned28 percent not at all concerned

Concern among those Concern among those familiar with the issuesfamiliar with the issues

Concern was higher among those Concern was higher among those indicating they were familiar with the indicating they were familiar with the issuesissues

34 percent very concerned34 percent very concerned 51 percent somewhat concerned51 percent somewhat concerned 15 percent not at all concerned15 percent not at all concerned

Level of Concern by region (among Level of Concern by region (among those familiar with the issues)those familiar with the issues)

0

10

20

30

40

50

% Very

Concerned

41 38 33 30 27

CentralNorth

west

South

east

North

east

South

west

Level of Concern by age (among Level of Concern by age (among those familiar with the issues)those familiar with the issues)

0

10

20

30

40

50

% Very

Concerned

27 33 40

40 or younger41 to 60

years61 and older

Observations on Familiarity Observations on Familiarity & Concern& Concern

Very strong regional pattern to who was Very strong regional pattern to who was familiar with the issue in 2002familiar with the issue in 2002

Some association between age and level Some association between age and level of concernof concern Also find that persons living in cities, and Also find that persons living in cities, and

persons aware of a livestock facility near persons aware of a livestock facility near where they live also express higher levels of where they live also express higher levels of concern concern

Ohioans Attitudes Ohioans Attitudes about livestock about livestock among those familiar among those familiar w/ the issuew/ the issue

Q. Large-scale poultry and Q. Large-scale poultry and livestock production facilities in livestock production facilities in rural areas are a threat to rural rural areas are a threat to rural quality of life. quality of life.

22% Strongly Disagreed or Disagreed22% Strongly Disagreed or Disagreed

19% Undecided19% Undecided

59% Agreed or Strongly Agreed59% Agreed or Strongly Agreed

Q. There needs to be increased Q. There needs to be increased regulation of livestock production regulation of livestock production in Ohio to protect the environment. in Ohio to protect the environment.

17% Strongly Disagreed or Disagreed17% Strongly Disagreed or Disagreed

26% Undecided26% Undecided

57% Agreed or Strongly Agreed57% Agreed or Strongly Agreed

Q. Large-scale poultry and Q. Large-scale poultry and livestock facilities pose a serious livestock facilities pose a serious threat to water and stream quality threat to water and stream quality in Ohio in Ohio

11% Strongly Disagreed or Disagreed11% Strongly Disagreed or Disagreed

18% Undecided18% Undecided

71% Agreed or Strongly Agreed71% Agreed or Strongly Agreed

Q. Odors are the most serious Q. Odors are the most serious problem with large-scale poultry problem with large-scale poultry and livestock facilities in Ohioand livestock facilities in Ohio

43 percent Strongly Disagree or Disagree43 percent Strongly Disagree or Disagree

16 percent Undecided16 percent Undecided

42 percent Agree or Strongly Agree 42 percent Agree or Strongly Agree

Q. Large-scale livestock facilities Q. Large-scale livestock facilities positively contribute to the positively contribute to the economy of Ohio. economy of Ohio.

13% Strongly Disagreed or Disagreed13% Strongly Disagreed or Disagreed

27% Undecided27% Undecided

60% Agreed or Strongly Agreed60% Agreed or Strongly Agreed

Q. In general, increased regulation Q. In general, increased regulation of the treatment of animals in of the treatment of animals in farming is needed. farming is needed.

34% Strongly Disagreed or Disagreed34% Strongly Disagreed or Disagreed

23% Undecided23% Undecided

43% Agreed or Strongly Agreed43% Agreed or Strongly Agreed

Q. Animal agriculture raises Q. Animal agriculture raises serious ethical questions about the serious ethical questions about the treatment of animals treatment of animals

37% Strongly Disagreed or Disagreed37% Strongly Disagreed or Disagreed

29% Undecided29% Undecided

34% Agreed or Strongly Agreed34% Agreed or Strongly Agreed

Observations on Ohioans Observations on Ohioans Attitudes of LivestockAttitudes of Livestock

There is substantial concern about the There is substantial concern about the environmental impacts of large-scale environmental impacts of large-scale livestocklivestock

Additional analysis shows that Ohioans Additional analysis shows that Ohioans that view economic benefits of livestock that view economic benefits of livestock have lower environmental concernshave lower environmental concerns

Observations (cont.)Observations (cont.)

Livestock welfare concern is mixed Livestock welfare concern is mixed among Ohioans, but is found to have a among Ohioans, but is found to have a modest impact on overall levels of modest impact on overall levels of concern about livestock developmentsconcern about livestock developments

Concluding ObservationsConcluding Observations

Through 2002 this was a regional issueThrough 2002 this was a regional issue ““Social capital” (trust and networks Social capital” (trust and networks

among farmers and nonfarmers) is among farmers and nonfarmers) is associated with lower concernassociated with lower concern

Family histories associated with Family histories associated with agriculture appears to temper some agriculture appears to temper some concernconcern

Concluding Observations Concluding Observations on Livestock (cont.)on Livestock (cont.)

As we track this issue into the future, will As we track this issue into the future, will recent changes in the regulatory recent changes in the regulatory environment impact environmental environment impact environmental concernsconcerns

Will also be tracking animal welfare Will also be tracking animal welfare concern, how is it changing and is it concern, how is it changing and is it influencing other views or behaviorsinfluencing other views or behaviors

Future plans of interestFuture plans of interest

The 2004 version of the Ohio Survey of The 2004 version of the Ohio Survey of Food, Agriculture, and Environmental Food, Agriculture, and Environmental Issues is currently in developmentIssues is currently in development Some questions related to livestock concern Some questions related to livestock concern

and animal welfare concern will be repeated and animal welfare concern will be repeated from 2002from 2002

Results from this project should begin to be Results from this project should begin to be available in Fall of 2004.available in Fall of 2004.

Future Plans (cont.)Future Plans (cont.)

New project, under leadership of Bob New project, under leadership of Bob Birkenholz and Bill Flinn, to conduct case study Birkenholz and Bill Flinn, to conduct case study research examining differences between research examining differences between contested and less contested large-scale contested and less contested large-scale livestock developments in Ohiolivestock developments in Ohio Collect both interview and survey data in select Collect both interview and survey data in select

communities to understand social dimensions of communities to understand social dimensions of why facilities are opposed or not.why facilities are opposed or not.