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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=VMqyyXsw
ono
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
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