Public
Has High Opinion of U.S. Farmers, NCGA-Funded Survey Says (3-29-04)
The U.S. public
generally has a high opinion of farmers and ranchers, according to
the results of a recent survey partially funded by the National Corn
Growers Association (NCGA).
Conclusions and
recommendations from the survey were presented last week at the Animal
Agriculture Alliance’s “Stakeholder Summit on Animal Welfare”
in Arlington, Va. NCGA Corn Board member Bob Dickey, Research and
Business Development Action Team member Ron Obermoller and Manager
of Livestock Information and Programs Tracy Snider attended the three-day
conference.
Along with farmers
and ranchers, the groups viewed most favorably by the public are school
teachers, veterinarians and physicians. According to the survey, the
public strongly believes farmers and ranchers are concerned about
food safety and the well-being of their animals. The least favorably
viewed groups are trial lawyers, groups active in opposing the use
of animals for food, media and large corporate farms.
The survey polled
more than 1,000 U.S. adults, on consumer opinions about numerous issues
related to agriculture, including attitudes regarding food safety,
animal welfare practices and genetically engineered feed products.
The survey results will be used by the alliance to identify strategies
for educating the media and public on animal welfare and other agriculture
issues.
Other key survey
findings were:
The conference
also included numerous panel discussions on food safety, animal welfare,
legislative initiatives targeting animal agriculture, tracking and
tracing programs and communicating with consumers and the media. Snider
addressed attendees on the importance of animal welfare to corn growers.
“Animal
initiatives are important to corn growers because livestock is our
primary customer,” Snider said. “To sustain that market,
we must be active in the full food system. Problems within one area
of the food system don’t only affect that specific area –
they affect the entire production chain.”
Conference-goers
also heard panelists discuss the importance of animal welfare to food
quality and food safety. Dr. Jeff Armstrong, of Michigan State University,
presented the U.S. perspective on the issue, while the European Commission’s
Dr. Andrea Gavinelli gave the European Union perspective.
The Animal Agriculture
Alliance is a coalition of individual agriculture producers, producer
organizations, suppliers, packer-processors, private industry and
retailers. The group’s mission is to support and promote animal
agriculture practices that provide for farm animal well-being through
sound science and public information.
For more information
on the survey, click here.
Consumers Attitudes
About Animal Welfare;
2004 National Public Opinion
Survey - PDF