Consumer voting and demand behavior regarding swine gestation crates

By Tonsor, Glynn T. - Wolf, Christopher - Olynk, Nicole

Consumers are increasingly interested in how animals are handled, transported, and cared for. This study provides the first examination of US resident support for a ballot initiative banning use of gestation crates (stalls) in the swine industry. Results suggest latent associations consumers possess between gestation crate use and perceptions of food safety, pork quality, and farm size are more influential determinants of ban support than observable socioeconomic factors. Implications for consumer groups, policy makers, and the swine industry are assessed. Moreover, several suggestions for valuable future research are outlined.