Producers and consumers of organic meat: a focus on attitudes and motivations

M. G. McEachern and J. Willock

Abstract
Research into organic production is internationally widespread but has rarely focused on producer's motivations for adopting organic farming techniques and whether organic consumers share their values. As conventional agricultural prices remain depressed, questions arise surrounding producer's motivations towards organic production. For example, are motivations based on economic rather than ethical decisions? Additionally, what motivations underpin consumer's organic purchases and are those values shared between producers and consumers?

Using postal questionnaires, the attitudes and motivations of both UK producers (n=122) and consumers (n=420) towards organic livestock production, were explored.

Results confirm that attitudes are significant in determining producer conversion to organic farming systems and consumer purchase behaviour, and that many commonalities in producer and consumer attitudes exist.

The "market forces" factor was particularly important for farmers, indicating strong producer optimism about the future of organic farming whatever their farm size and farm type.

For consumers, the concept of meat safety was also central to meat buying attitudes, particularly within the context of country-of-origin. The attitudinal factors "naturalness", "quality standards", and "quality assurances" were important to both producers and consumers.

Future recommendations are made to the industry with regard to the UK market for organically produced meat.


Source
British Food Journal (2004) 106: 534-552
DOI 10.1108/00070700410545737


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