volume 4, issue 11: march 17, 2017 food demand...

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FooDSFOOD DEMAND SURVEY

Volume 4, Issue 11: March 17, 2017

Food Demand Survey | Oklahoma State University | [email protected] Lusk | Regents Professor & Willard Sparks Endowed Chair | 405-744-7465

Susan Murray | Research Specialist | 405-744-4857This project is supported by a Willard Sparks Endowment, the Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station, and the

Agricultural and Food Research Initiative Competitive Program of the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

FooDS tracks consumer preferences and sentiments on the safety, quality, and price of food at home and away from home with particular focus on meat demand. FooDS is a monthly on-line survey with a sample size of at least 1,000 individuals, weighted to match the US population in terms of age, gender, education and region of residence. See the online technical document for more details.

About the Survey

Compared to one month ago, willingness-to-pay (WTP) decreased for steak, pork chops, and especially deli ham. WTP increased for chicken breast, hamburger, and chicken wings. WTPs for all meat products are lower than one year ago, except for hamburger.

MEAT DEMAND

Expenditures on food eaten at home fell 3.05% from February to March and expenditures on food purchased away from home fell 6.91% from February to March. Consumers expect higher beef, chicken, and pork prices compared to one month ago. Consumers plan to buy slightly less chicken and beef compared to last month. Plans to eat out remained virtually unchanged.

FOOD EXPENDITURES

Willingness-to-Pay

Steak Chicken Breast

Hamburger Pork Chop Deli Ham Chicken Wing

Beans & Rice

Pasta

Last Year:March 2016

$7.76 $5.53 $4.52 $4.02 $2.45 $2.79 $3.10 $3.51

Last Month:February 2017

$7.02 $5.23 $4.30 $3.72 $2.36 $2.26 $2.03 $2.93

March 2017 $6.89 $5.45 $4.62 $3.57 $1.75 $2.34 $2.10 $3.11

% change(Feb. - March)

-1.85% 4.21% 7.44% -4.03% -25.85% 3.54% 3.45% 6.14%

Current weekly at home

Current weekly away from home

Anticipated change in at home in next 2 weeks

Anticipated change away from home in next 2 weeks

March 2016 $98.51 $52.58 -0.28% -1.225

February 2017 $96.83 $54.74 -0.09% -0.86%

March 2017 $93.88 $50.96 -0.12% -0.77%

% change(Feb. - March)

-3.05% -6.91% -------- --------

http://agecon.okstate.edu/files/Survey%20Info%20(pdf4556).pdf




Consumer Expectations FooDS

GMOs, Salmonella, and E. coli were the most visible issues in the news over the past two weeks. The largest percent increase in awareness from February to March was for bird flu. The largest percent decrease in awareness from February to March was for gestation crates followed by lean finely textured ground beef. Salmonella, E. coli, and hormones were ranked as the top three food safety concerns in March. The largest percent increase in concern over last month was for beta-agonists followed by bird flu. The largest percent decrease in concern was for farm animal welfare.

AWARENESS & CONCERN TRACKING

Awareness of Food Issues




Concern for Food Issues FooDS

Taste, safety, and price remained consumers’ most important values when purchasing food this month. Consumers’ food values remained similar to those in past months. This month, consumers reported that their main challenge was finding affordable foods that fit within their budget. Finding foods my children will eat was the challenge experiencing the largest percentage increase, while losing weight experienced the largest percent decrease. Similar to last month, 7.9% of participants reported having food poisoning. About 7% of respondents reported being vegetarian or vegan.

GENERAL FOOD VALUES

Consumer Challenges Consumer Values




FooDS

Several new ad hoc questions were added to this month’s survey. Participants were first asked: “Have you ever worked on a farm or ranch?”. About 17% of participants answered “yes” they have worked on a farm or ranch. Participants who answered “yes” were then asked “which of the following best describes the kind of farm you worked on?” Respondents were provided with six options and they could check all that applied.

Of the 17% who said they had worked on a farm, 43% checked “A farm that produces commodity crops (e.g. corn, wheat, soybeans, cotton, or rice)” followed by 40% who checked “A farm that produces commercial livestock (e.g. cattle, swine, or poultry).” “A garden in your backyard” was picked by 38% and “A chicken coop in your backyard” was picked by 23%. 20% checked “other” (and provided responses such as working on a dairy farm or a horse farm or on school farms such as FFA), and 12% checked “A community garden”.

AD HOC QUESTIONS

Work Done on Farms or Ranches (of the 17% who’ve worked on a farm or ranch)




FooDS

Secondly, participants were asked: Which of the following animal production industries use added growth hormones?”Over half of participants stated that they believed each of the following animal production industries use added growth hormones. Over 75% of participants indicated that they thought that the beef cattle industry uses added growth hormones. Over half of the respondents stated they believe the swine and poultry industries to uses added growth hormones. In reality, the swine and poultry industries do not use any added growth hormones. About 57% of participants stated they believed added growth hormones are used in the dairy industry.

AD HOC QUESTIONS

Beliefs about Which Animal Industries Using Added Growth Hormones




FooDS

Third, participants were asked: “What percentage of dairy cattle in the U.S. are treated with rBGH?”Overall participants perceive a much greater use of rBGH in dairy cattle than what is actually used. About 20% of participants believe that 50-59% of dairy cattle are treated with rBGH. 5.7% believe that 90-100% of dairy cattle are treated with rBGH. Only, 10.89% of participants stated that less than 10% of dairy cattle are treated with rBGH. In reality, less than ten percent of all dairy cattle in the U.S. are treated with rBGH.

AD HOC QUESTIONS

Beliefs about Percentage of Dairy Cattle Treated with rBGH




FooDS

Lastly, participants were asked: “To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements?”Individuals responded on a 5-point scale: 1=strongly disagree, 2-somewhat disagree, 3=neither agree nor disagree, 4=somewhat agree, 5=strongly agree. The most common answer for each item was “neither agree nor disagree”, except for the statement all milk contains natural hormones where the most common answer was “somewhat agree”. The statement “all cow’s milk contains natural hormones” was agreed upon most, whereas the statement “hormones are never given to dairy cattle” was agreed upon least. About 38% of participants answered “somewhat agree” or “strongly agree” that it is healthier to consume milk labeled rBGH free. Approximately 30% of participants answered “somewhat agree or “strongly agree” that conventionally produced milk contains unsafe levels of hormones. Only 5.6% of participants selected “strongly disagree” that milk containing rBGH tastes different.

AD HOC QUESTIONS

Consumers Beliefs about the Use of rBGH in Milk

volume 4, issue 11: march 17, 2017 food demand...

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