This research was paid for by the Ohio
Department of Agriculture using a portion of funds established by an
act of Congress in August 2001, which provided an equal grant of $500,000
to each state to promote agriculture. (H.R. 2213, PL 107-25, Section
7 of public law #107-25.)
"The mission of the Ohio Department of Agriculture
is to provide regulatory protection to producers, agribusinesses
and the consuming public; to promote Ohio agricultural products
in domestic and international markets; and to educate the citizens
of Ohio about our agricultural industry."
Food and agriculture comprise a $73 billion industry in
the state. Field crops provide most of the agriculture income, with
Ohio among the leading producers of both corn and soybeans. Despite
the income and the value-added benefits the industry provides, positive
perceptions and attitudes about agriculture have been on a steady decline,
particularly among young urban and rural non-farm Ohioans.
The Ohio Department of Agriculture
wanted to gain a better understanding of the perceptions and attitudes
of Ohioans about modern farming practices and its impact on consumers’
daily lives. To tap into these perceptions and attitudes, ODA embarked
on a research project with Melissa Rapp Communications, in partnership
with Great Lakes Marketing and Kim Knight Communications. As a result,
the Community and Farmer Attitude and Awareness Study was developed.
The two-pronged research study gauged the agriculture awareness, perceptions
and issues among Ohio farmers and consumers. The farmer survey probed
farmers to determine what messages were important to them. The consumer
survey interviewed urban and rural non-farm consumers to gain an understanding
of their knowledge of Ohio agriculture.
This executive summary presents key findings and insights
from both surveys into the:
• Awareness of Ohio’s agriculture
• Key agricultural messages and interesting facts that resonate
with both farmers and consumers
• Perception of Ohio Department of Agriculture among consumers
and farmers perceived benefits of Ohio’s agricultural industry
• Key issues and concerns regarding modern farming practices
These key findings provide a roadmap for a public information
project that will create awareness about and support of Ohio agriculture.
ODA is in a unique position to educate and promote the key benefits
of agriculture and its impact on the state’s economy.
The overall research objectives were to:
• Measure awareness of Ohio’s agriculture
• Measure knowledge and appreciation of Ohio’s agriculture
• Rank the number one and two industries in the state
• Learn what messages make Ohioans proud and/or less appreciative
of Ohio’s agricultural industries
• Learn which types of facts are interesting to the general
public
• Learn what negatives they have heard about Ohio’s agriculture
industries
• Gauge perception of ODA among consumers and farmers
• Gauge understanding and attitudes toward environmental factors
and what the government is doing
In order to achieve these objectives, phone surveys were
conducted with farmers and a random sample of Ohioans between April
and May 2002.
Structured telephone interviews were conducted with 500 non-farming
households for the consumer survey. Results of this survey have a margin
of error of approximately +/- 4 points.
The farmer survey consisted of 79 telephone interviews
with Ohio’s farmers to obtain directional feedback on issues of
importance from the farmer’s perspective. Results of this survey
have a margin of error of approximately +/- 10 points. A follow-up interview
with 21 farmers was conducted to obtain a qualitative comparison of
attitudes and perceptions with the non-farming community.
Building improved understanding and appreciation of agriculture is at
the heart of the mission statement of ODA. This study was designed to
assess the perspectives of farmers and consumers alike based on their
awareness and perceptions and attitudes about agriculture. In addition,
media messages were examined to determine how these perceptions might
be influenced.
State Industries. Consumers
consider agriculture one of the top three important industries in the
state, with about one out of five naming it. Automotive and steel industries
represent the top two mentions; agriculture is named slightly more often
than general manufacturing (named fourth.)
Consumers tend to have a great deal of knowledge and appreciation
for Ohio’s agriculture. When asked what Ohio is best known for,
over half of the consumers mention field crops and livestock; at least
one in ten named vegetable, fruit, or poultry farms. Consumers and farmers
think of the state agriculture industry and Ohio’s farms in the
form of products like corn, soybeans, vegetables, and cows. One out
of ten consumers think of the loss of agricultural land to developers.
Farm Size. When asked
about what they think about farms, consumers are more likely to think
of smaller rather than larger farms. About three-quarters of consumers
mentioned independent family farms vs. corporate farms.
Economic Benefits. Nearly
all of the consumers (98 percent) said they personally benefit from
Ohio’s agricultural industry. Over half said it is a food source
and provides fresh produce. Farmers, however, were twice as likely to
mention jobs as economic benefits in comparison to consumers. However,
when prompted, consumers say they believe that agriculture is essential
to Ohio’s economy.
Food Safety. Consumers
give the agricultural industry a B-average rating on producing safe
and wholesome foods, taking care of the land, treating animals well,
and innovation. They give between a B and C for protecting the water
supply, responsibly using chemicals and fertilizers, and responsibly
managing animal waste.
Occupations. Farming is
rated as one of the top eight respected occupations in the state, falling
behind fire fighters/police, clergy, teachers, business professionals,
small business owners, and corporate execs. Even rural Ohioans who tend
to be more positive about farming do not say that farming is highly
respected. Ten percent of rural Ohioans, compared to five percent of
suburbanites, indicate that farming is the most respected occupation
in Ohio. Economically, about one in three agree that farmers are better
off today than they were ten years ago.
Messages. Less than one-quarter
agree that most Ohioans understand the importance of Ohio’s agricultural
industry. Consumers are more likely to agree that farmers are highly
respected members of the community and are credited for being concerned
about the environment.
In addition, the most concentrated opinions were:
• I don’t care where my food comes from
as long as it is available and convenient: 60% disagree.
• Farming is not essential to Ohio’s economy and not necessarily
worthy of support: 77% disagree.
• Most farmers are happy as farmers and would like their children
to be farmers, but are concerned about the future of farming as a
lifestyle. This may be related to their beliefs that the general public
does not value or respect farmers.
Information Resources.
When given choices, half of the consumers say that the Ohio Department
of Agriculture provides the most reliable and credible information about
Ohio’s farms. About one in three say farmers provide the most
reliable and credible information about Ohio’s farms. Other sources
of note were university researchers and media (both at 18%) and USDA
and environmentalists (both at about 10%.) Only 3 percent named animal
rights activists as a source of information.
When not given choices, the Department of Agriculture
and Farmers still top the list.
OHIO PROUD®. Almost
four out of five consumers try to buy Ohio-made products when the opportunity
exists, at least some of the time. Over half say they have never noticed
labels to indicate grocery products from Ohio.
Interesting Facts. Both
farmers and consumers are more interested in general messages about
the value and quality of farming in Ohio and the nation, than in the
economic and technical aspects of farming. The top three messages, in
order, emerged from the study:
• Food safety experts acknowledge that the US
food supply is the safest in the world
• More than 99 percent of the farms in Ohio are family farms
• Low price of food makes it the best consumer bargain
Issues/Concerns. Nine
out of ten consumers (both rural and urban) have concerns about farms
and farming. Common concerns include the loss of land to developers
and survival of small farms.
Half of farmers consider the media or news to be a source
of negative information about farming, and half of the consumers have
concerns about farming as a result of something they have read or heard
in the media.
ODA Perceptions. Consumers
consider ODA the most credible source of information about Ohio farms.
Farmers give ODA somewhat neutral ratings of a 6.5 out of 10 for both
regulation and promotion. Livestock farms, smaller farms, and younger
farmers are the least positive about ODA. Farmers who are negative about
ODA cite lack of promotion of Ohio’s farmers and over-regulation.
Consumers also give ODA somewhat neutral ratings: a 6.3 out of 10 for
regulation, and a 5.9 for looking out for the safety and well being
of Ohio consumers.
Environmental Factors.
Farmers tend to overestimate concern about chemical use in the general
public. About one in four believe it to be an issue, while only one
out of ten consumers named it as a concern without prompting. Consumers
are most concerned about food safety, followed by the humane treatment
of animals, protecting the environment, and agro- or bio-terrorism.
They are somewhat less concerned about genetically modified crops. Farmers
show a similar trend but are somewhat less concerned about food safety.
# # #
Research conducted by:
Melissa A. Rapp
Rapp Communications
447 Woodside Meadows Place
Gahanna, Ohio 43230 o 614.428.7277
marapp@columbus.rr.com
Kim Knight
Knight Communications
271 Sherwood Meadows Drive
Gahanna, Ohio 43230 o 614.475.6940
kmknight@aol.com
Lori Dixon, Ph. D.
Great Lakes Marketing
3103 Executive Parkway #106
Toledo, Ohio 43606 o (419) 534-4710
ldixon@greatlakesmarketing.com
