What Ohioans Think About Food, Agriculture, and Environmental Issues

1
What Ohioans Think About Food, Agriculture, and
Environmental Issues

• Northwest Extension District
• Findlay, OH
• November 15, 2002

2
Project Background

• Funded by OSU Extension, OARDC and the College of
  FAES
• Focus on social issues in agriculture as they
  relate to the ecological paradigm

3
Project Team

• Study conducted by a team associated with
  Department of HCRD and OSU Extension.
• Jeff Sharp, Molly Bean Smith, Bill Flinn, Mark
  Tucker, Sherrie Whaley, Greg Davis, Jerry Thomas,
  Denny Hall

4
Methodology

• Sample of 7,976 Ohioans selected and stratified
  by 5 extension districts and metro core county
  status
• Dillmans TDM utilized with 5 contacts
• Response rate 55.7
• Analysis of state, NW District, and NW district
  noncore metro (not including Allen or Ottawa
  County)

5
Summary of the Sample

• Comparison with State and NW populations (2000
  Census)
• Close match gender, age (over 24), households w/
  kids, household incomes
• Limitations Renters, Households in homes less
  than 100,000, 18-24 year olds

6
Outline of Presentation

• Personal Connections to Agriculture
• General Views of Agriculture
• Livestock Issues
• Food Safety Concerns

7
Connections with farming
8
Parents ever owned or operated a farm
Does not include core urban counties (Lucas and
Allen)
9
Grandparents ever owned or operated a farm
Does not include core urban counties (Lucas and
Allen)
10
Number of farmers known
Does not include core urban counties (Lucas and
Allen)
11
Views of Farming and Farmers
12
Overall, farming positively contributes to the
quality of life in Ohio

• 93 agreed or strongly agreed
• 6 undecided
• 1 disagreed or strongly disagreed
• Strongest agreement among farm respondents
• Significant difference by immediate relatives
  owning/operating a farm and age

13
Q. I trust Ohio farmers to protect the
environment.

• 62 agreed or strongly agreed
• 27 undecided
• 11 disagreed or strongly disagreed
• Agreement strongest in NW district
• Agreement strongest among farm country, nonfarm
  respondents
• Significant difference by gender, age and those
  with immediate relatives owning/operating a farm

14
Perceived Risks to Environmental Quality
(Scaling 1 no risk 7 serious risk)

• Disposal of waste in landfills (5.92)
• Industrial activities (5.48)
• Urban sprawl (5.14)
• Residential chemical use on lawns (5.07)
• Logging or mining (4.93)
• Agricultural activities (3.89)
• NW District respondents perceive lower risks than
  state respondents for all items except
  agricultural activities.
• Women more likely than men to report higher
  levels of perceived risk.

15
Q. Ohio farmers are generally sensitive to the
concerns of nonfarm neighbors.

• 48 agreed or strongly agreed
• 37 undecided
• 15 disagreed or strongly disagreed
• Agreement lowest among city/suburban residents
• Significant difference by those with immediate
  relatives owning/operating a farm

16
Q. Farming activities that are offensive to
nonfarm neighbors should be restricted.

• 35 agreed or strongly agreed
• 36 undecided
• 29 disagreed or strongly disagreed
• NW district is most undecided
• Highest level of disagreement among farm and
  country,nonfarm respondents
• Significant difference by gender and age

17
Views of Ag/Rural Change
18
Q. The loss of farmland is acceptable if it
creates economic growth and new jobs in the
state.

• 21 agreed or strongly agreed
• 25 undecided
• 53 disagreed or strongly disagreed
• Strongest disagreement among farm respondents

19
Q. Ohios most productive farmland should be
preserved for agriculture.

• 93 agreed or strongly agreed
• 5 undecided
• 2 disagreed or strongly disagreed
• Strongest agreement among farm respondents
• Significant difference by age (older respondents
  agree more strongly)

20
The migration of non-U.S. citizens into rural
Ohio to work in farming food production
negatively impacts rural quality of life.

• 30 agreed or strongly agreed
• 39 undecided
• 31 disagreed or strongly disagreed
• Most disagreement in NW District
• Strong disagreement by farm respondents
• Significant difference by gender

21
Large-scale livestock and poultry
22
Do you know of any large-scale poultry or
livestock production facilities near where you
live?
Does not include core urban counties (Lucas and
Allen)
23
How concerned are you about the development of
large-scale poultry and livestock production
facilities?
Does not include core urban counties (Lucas and
Allen)
24
Are you familiar with some of the issues related
to large-scale poultry and livestock production
facilities?
Does not include core urban counties (Lucas and
Allen)
25
Narrowing the focus

• Focus on NW district (not including Allen and
  Lucas Counties)
• Analysis is based on data from respondents
  reporting they were familiar with some of the
  issues related to large-scale livestock and
  poultry (n285)

26
Level of Concern by self-reported place of
residence
27
Level of Concern by Age
28
Select attitudes about livestock

• Following items from a series of eight questions
  related to large scale livestock and poultry
  facilities two questions related to livestock
  and animal welfare

29
Q. Large-scale poultry and livestock production
facilities in rural areas are a threat to rural
quality of life

• 66 agreed or strongly agree
• 12 undecided
• 22 disagreed or strongly disagreed
• Women agreed more strongly than men
• Similar pattern of response by place of residence

30
Q. Large-scale livestock facilities positively
contribute to the economy

• 48 agreed or strongly agreed
• 26 undecided
• 25 disagreed or strongly disagreed
• Agreement lowest in NW district
• Agreement lowest among country, farm respondents

31
Q. The environmental impact of large-scale
livestock operations have been greatly
exaggerated.

• 23 agreed or strongly agreed
• 24 undecided
• 54 disagreed or strongly disagreed
• Younger respondents more likely to agree than
  older respondents

32
Q. Large-scale facilities pose a serious threat
to water and stream quality

• 75 agreed or strongly agree
• 13 undecided
• 12 disagreed or strongly disagreed
• Respondents over 60 more strongly agreed with the
  statement
• Similar pattern of response by place of residence

33
Q. Odors are the most serious problem with
large-scale poultry and livestock facilities

• 23 agreed or strongly agreed
• 35 undecided
• 42 disagree or strongly disagree
• Respondents over 60 and women reported strongest
  level of agreement

34
Q. In general, increased regulation of the
treatment of animals in farming is needed.

• 44 agreed or strongly agreed
• 28 are undecided
• 28 disagreed or strongly disagreed
• Women reported stronger agreement than men

35
Food Safety
36
Q. Food is not as safe as it was 10 years ago.

• 32 agreed or strongly agreed
• 28 undecided
• 40 disagreed or strongly disagreed

37
Perceived Risks to Food Safety (NW
District)(Scaling 1 no risk 7 serious risk)

• Pesticide residues in food (5.23)
• Contamination of drinking water (5.15)
• Bio-terrorist attacks on food supply (5.12)
• Bacterial contamination (5.10)
• Growth hormones in meat or milk (5.04)
• Mad cow disease (4.59)
• Genetically modified organisms (4.40)
• NW District respondents perceive lower risks than
  state respondents for all items.
• Women more likely than men to report higher
  levels of perceived risk.

38
Trust in Sources of Environmental and Food Safety
Information(Scaling 1 no trust 5 High
trust)

• Physician/health professional (3.89)
• University scientist (3.74)
• Farmer or grower (3.75)
• U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (3.66)
• Extension (3.61)
• Lesser trusted sources U.S. FDA, friends and
  family, U.S. EPA, and consumer advocacy group.

39
Q. I consider imported foods as safe as those
produced in the U.S.

• 13 agreed or strongly agreed
• 25 undecided
• 62 disagreed or strongly disagreed

40
Q. When given a choice, I prefer to buy foods
produced locally.

• 85 agreed or strongly agreed
• 10 undecided
• 5 disagreed or strongly disagreed

41
Q. Organic foods are safer than conventionally
produced foods.

• 35 agreed or strongly agreed
• 41 undecided
• 24 disagreed or strongly disagreed

42
Biotechnology
43
Q. Biotechnology is having a negative impact on
food safety.

• 19 agreed or strongly agreed
• 61 undecided
• 20 disagreed or strongly disagreed

44
Q. The use of biotechnology in agriculture is
having a positive impact on the environment.

• 30 agreed or strongly agreed
• 61 undecided
• 9 disagreed or strongly disagreed