Consumer Research Highlights

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1 Consumer Research Highlights

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3 Consumer Research Highlights 11 How do we know exactly what consumers think of Illinois farmers and farming practices? We asked. We took the learning position ears and eyes open, mouths shut. When we started thinking about how to address consumer perceptions of Illinois farmers and how their food is grown, we knew we had to gather the facts. Together, five commodity groups undertook one of the most comprehensive research approaches to learning Illinois consumers opinions about Illinois farmers and farming practices. Conducting this research was intensive and deliberate, but it provided information that has become the cornerstone and foundation of IFF activities. This research is different from other studies because it focuses solely on consumers perceptions of farmers. It was specific to Illinois and gave us practical answers for how to engage farmers and consumers in dialogue. During the winter of 2010, the coalition conducted in-depth interviews with urban women and men to find out their attitudes and opinions about Illinois farmers and farming practices. We specifically targeted moms and influencers, those who others look to for their opinions because they research buying decisions. More than 1,100 Illinois residents also participated in an online survey that asked in-depth questions about their views on food, health and wellness, farmers, farming practices, and the environment. These results gave us a representative view of Illinois consumers. Four years later, the coalition looked to consumer research again to determine how consumer mindsets have shifted. This research began with a scan of existing national industry research on consumer attitudes toward food, farmers and farming, completed by organizations such as U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) and The Center for Food Integrity (CFI). This industry insight provided an in-depth overview of where consumers in America stand today. Next, we turned to qualitative, Illinois-specific research by conducting an online panel of 35 Chicago-area moms. The detailed exercises these moms completed allowed us to take a snapshot of Illinois consumers specifically, Illinois moms and determine their opinions on food production, food safety and farming in Illinois. External Research Sources 1. Sullivan Higdon & Sink FoodThink, Emerging Faith in Food Production,. 2. Sullivan Hidgon & Sink FoodThink, Building Trust in What We Eat, USFRA Food Dialogues: Chicago, Transparency and Today s Consumer, USFRA Consumer Trust in the Food System Research, USFRA Transparency and Consumer Trust, The Center for Food Integrity, Mintel,. 8. International Food Information Council Foundation, 2013 Food & Health Survey Consumer Attitudes Toward Food Safety, Nutrition & Health, May Fleishman-Hillard and The Motherhood, Cart to Kitchen 2013: Slicing Into Mom s Food Attitudes, December M2Moms, The Marketing to Moms Conference: Fast Facts,. 11. Weber Shandwick and KRC Research. Digital Women Influencers: Millennial Moms, June 2013.

4 12 Consumer Research Highlights 2016 What do consumers care about in their lives? Following are six consumer research findings that shape the consumer mindset and what they mean for farmers: New drivers for purchase decisions Evolving drivers health and wellness, safety, social impact and experiences have become a significant part of purchasing decisions. They are just as important as the traditional drivers of price, taste and convenience. Source: Deloitte Consulting LLP, Food Marketing Institute (FMI), Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA). Capitalizing on the shifting consumer food value equation, What this means to farmers Consumers continue to want to know more about their food and how it impacts their well-being. Share details of how you grow safe, healthy foods sustainably through experiences, either real or virtual Definition of sustainability Millennial parents, non-parents, food connectors and general consumers agree on this definition of sustainability: Improving human health through access to safe, nutritious food Improving the environment around farming and ranching, including water, soil, and habitat Limiting impact from potential pollution to water, air, and soil Source: USFRA 2015 Sustainability Overview What this means to farmers Consumers agree with you on the priorities of maintaining clean water, air and soil. Share with them the safety of farm chemicals, how and why you use them, what you do to reduce erosion and conserve resources Transparency has become a given Consumers expect to find information about all aspects of the food production process. Source: CFI Consumer Trust Research, November 2015 What this means to farmers Consumers want to know the story behind their food what s in it, how it was grown, who s the farmer responsible for growing it. This increased interest is an opportunity to engage. Visual storytelling through farm photos, videos and posts to social media can share your own personal back story and your motivations to farm. Health professionals trusted most Registered dietitians and personal healthcare professionals are the top two most trusted sources for types of food eaten and food safety. Source: IFIC, Food & Health Survey, 2016 What this means to farmers When you have an opportunity to interact with health and wellness professionals, connect on shared values, but also remember their education allows them to recognize credible science-based resources. They seek this additional level of detail Same message, different sources Nearly 90 percent of consumers will believe new information about food or health after hearing the same information from many different sources. Source: IFIC, Food & Health Survey, 2013 What this means to farmers While no two farms and farmers are alike exactly, there are many best practices used by most. This includes farm management tools such as antibiotics, hormones, farm chemicals and even sustainability practices. IFF works to showcase multiple perspectives on the same practices to build credibility and trust with consumers Local Local has become a large marketing and sales driver. A study found that more than 53 percent of shoppers specifically seek out locally grown or locally produced foods. Source: Packaged Facts National Consumer Survey, November What this means to farmers You re all local famers. Call yourself a local farmer when you talk with friends, neighbors and other consumers. Remind them that even national brands can be local, including Dean s Dairy products, Prairie Farms Dairy products, Pearl Valley Eggs, Tyson and Hormel Beef and Pork products.

5 Consumer Research Highlights 13 When they think of farmers, what first comes to mind? Overall, they like you. And when they think of you, the image of an Illinois farmer is trusted and respected. They used these words to describe farmers: Hardworking Honest Love of farming, despite the hard work Respect Appreciation Traditional Close, multigenerational families Nurturing and caring (words not usually associated with men) A multigenerational family farm inspires the strongest emotional appeal because it exudes a sense of tradition and family values that relate to consumers. 65% of Illinois consumers ranked farmers above doctors, teachers and police as the highest-trusted professionals to make decisions in the public s best interest. Question: How much do you trust the people in each of the following professions in Illinois to make decisions in the course of doing their jobs that are in the best interest of the public? Farm women especially are seen as highly credible messengers. Moms relate to other moms. Urban moms see farm moms as peers who are trying to protect the health and wellness of their families What this means to you: Most importantly, we must build upon the image of farmers as hardworking, honest, close-knit, multigenerational families. Throughout this effort we will ensure that our actions do no harm to this image in consumers minds

6 14 Consumer Research Highlights How much do they know about farmers and farming? Consumers admit they don t know much about farming but they re willing to learn. Let s face it, people today are further removed from farms than ever, and know very little about today s farmer and the way their food is grown. For consumers, actual experience with farmers and farming is limited: 40% of Illinois consumers said their main source of information about farming was farmers markets; 37% said their main source was driving by farms. Consumers want more information from the food industry: Consumers DO know farming is very important to the economy of Illinois. Farming and agriculture ranked second in importance only to healthcare, and it ranked ahead of many industries, including manufacturing, banking and finance, and technology and electronics. Question: How important do you consider each of the following industries to the economy of Illinois? 67% 66% 65% of consumers think it s important to understand how their food is produced of consumers would like to see the food industry take more action in educating people on how food is produced of consumers want to know more about where their food comes from Source: Sullivan Higdon & Sink FoodThink, Emerging Faith in Food Production, What this means to you: Right now consumers can be called empty vessels. As such, they are open to learning about us and what we do. Someone with little knowledge, who is open to learning, is more willing to listen and consider your conversation than someone who has an opinion based on misinformation and inaccuracies

7 Consumer Research Highlights 15 Consumers like you, but do they like the way you farm? While they trust you more than most, more than half of consumers do not believe you will do the right thing when it comes to specific practices, like using too many chemicals, treating animals properly and protecting the environment. They feel or fear that many otherwise trustworthy farmers have had their hands forced by large corporations corporations that are only interested in feeding a bottom line, not the American public. There s a disconnect in consumers minds between farmers and farming. A trust gap is forming between what they think about you, and what they believe you will do. On one hand, they tell us farmers are honest and hard-working, but on the other hand, they have doubts and concerns about how you are growing and raising the food they eat largely based on your financial stake in the process. Sometimes it seems like the farmers might not be listening so much to the concerns of the public about how the food is grown and raised and protecting the environment. It seems like it is more just about corporations and the money, as opposed to the concerns of the public. Illinois consumer, female These two images of farmers and farming coexist in consumers minds. That s unusual, and won t last forever as one image becomes more dominant over time What this means to you: We need to act now to engage in dialogue with consumers to reinforce the positive images associated with farming. We need to listen, share their concerns and give them the facts about what happens on your farm every day. Giving consumers the backstory about your family and your farm will increase their trust in you, allowing a positive perception of farmers to grow in their minds Chicago-area moms trust in farmers: More than half of moms are either unsure or don t trust Illinois farmers. We have to act now to capture this moveable middle and help them see the way you farm today. 14% Question: Overall, do you trust Illinois farmers to make decisions about raising crops and animals in ways that are good for the health of your family? 47% NOT SURE 38% YES Source: Illinois farm Families, Yes Not sure No

8 16 Consumer Research Highlights What do consumers say good farms look like? There is a clear good farm/bad farm divide. When asked to describe good farms and bad farms, consumers used the following attributes: Good: those farms that are efficiently run, environmentally conscious, family owned and part of the community farms that are local. Bad: those farms that are corporate owned, use pesticides, use antibiotics and raise animals indoors. Illinois consumers estimated that fewer than half of Illinois farms are family owned Family owned 46% 54% Corporate owned Moms want to feel they are purchasing fresh, healthy food from local farms. When asked, most Illinois moms consider local to mean within the state of Illinois or the surrounding area. When actually, 97 out of 100 Illinois farms are family owned Source: Illinois Farm Families, Consumers are also concerned about the motives of the people running the farm. Family-run farms, where farmers run the operation and make the day-to-day decisions, are seen positively. Consumers do not like corporate-owned farms, described as farms run by detached executives whose only motivation is profit. They perceive these as less responsible, cutting corners in an effort to produce food too quickly, causing health or environmental risks What this means to you: Let consumers know you are local, family farmers. You have to make it personal to consumers your farm, your family, your decisions in their state. They will feel your pride in your farm and that will be comforting to them Family owned Question: If you had to estimate, what percent of farms in Illinois do you believe fall into each of the two categories above? Source: 2012 U.S. Census Data 97% More than 7 out of 10 Illinois consumers hold favorable opinions of family-owned farms and trust the people running family farms, but fewer than 1 in 5 trust people running corporate-owned farms.

9 Consumer Research Highlights 17 What are their concerns about food? I am concerned about almost everything that has to do with conventionally raised animals and grown products. Animals are kept in confined spaces. Chicken are basically shot up with growth hormones. Produce is sprayed with pesticides. I am also concerned that the government is doing right by large corporations and not by the American public. They want food that is good for them, their family and their world. Consumers want to feel good about their choices. They want to become healthier through the foods they eat. They want to know you are protecting the environment. Moms and influencers worry about the healthiness of their food, as well as its quality and safety. They want to know exactly what s in their food and have concerns about pesticides/chemicals, genetically modified foods, and agricultural run-off impacting water. Chicago-area mom Consumer concerns have decreased, but still persist: What this means to you: Meet consumers where they are and ease their concerns. You can become one of the most important sources of information on food for consumers, reinforcing that you wouldn t feed their families anything you wouldn t feed your own Question: When it comes to food production, how concerned are you about the following? Very/Somewhat concerned Concern toward select food production topics Pesticides & Insecticides Animal Antibiotics* 2012 Animal Hormones* Animal Treatment GMOs** * In 2012 survey, Animal Antibiotics and Hormones was a combination line item but was separated in survey. **GMOs line item was a new addition to the survey in. Source: Sullivan Higdon & Sink FoodThink, Emerging Faith in Food Production,.

10 18 Consumer Research Highlights What bothers moms the most when it comes to food and farming? Moms are the most concerned about the food they feed their families. Because their families and peers look to them for information, they want to know the food is safe and healthy. But there are some issues that have greater importance. Chemicals really bug them the majority of moms do not feel farmers should be using chemicals for any reason. Given a choice, they would rather farmers not use any antibiotics, but they do feel treating a sick animal is the only acceptable reason to use antibiotics. I am definitely willing to pay a little more for that organic and non-questionable, non-mechanically altered type of food. Illinois consumer, female Moms in particular think organics are the gold standard when it comes to food. They may not know the specifics about what makes a food organic, but they ve been told by their friends and other moms that it s better What this means to you: Moms are perhaps the most skeptical group of consumers, but they re also the most willing to learn and form their opinions based on credible sources. You can become a credible source for them Moms questions for farmers: Moms have many questions they d like to ask farmers about the way their food is grown and raised. When considering communicating with moms, keep their perspective and these questions in mind: What are you doing to ensure the safety of our food? Why do you use pesticides? Do you use hormones with your livestock? If so, why? How do GMOs affect the food we eat? Is organic food safer to eat? Source: Illinois Farm Families,

11 Consumer Research Highlights 19 What do consumers expect farmers to do? There is a lot of room for improvement in the farming community. I would like to see a lot of it change. I would like to see stricter rules either on a state basis or federal, as far as what fertilizers could be used, what pesticides, if they are growing food products. Illinois consumer, male Consumers have some definite opinions about what you should be doing on your farm. They view everything you do through a lens of Do you care about me, my family and my world? What this means to you: We have to act now. We have a window of opportunity to give consumers the information they seek before they get it from someone else. We need to make it easy for consumers to hear from us the facts about how their food is grown and raised Ways the agricultural industry can build consumer trust: Percentage of consumers who agree that these methods would build trust: Better labeling of key production and nutritional information Public tours of farms and/or food production facilities Website honestly answering food production questions Company leaders appearing on a news program to explain how food is produced 33% 43% 50% 56% Percent Source: Sullivan Higdon & Sink FoodThink, Emerging Faith in Food Production,.

12 20 Consumer Research Highlights What makes moms and influencers even more skeptical? Many influential moms with kids under 12 are not satisfied with the job farmers are doing on the issues they care about most. I would like to feel positive about farmers, although recently, and for the last few years, I have been hearing a lot of negative issues relating to the way that they are actually making our food and the additives and or environment that our food is processed and I find questionable. Illinois consumer, female They are even more skeptical than general consumers that you will address their concerns about: keeping the land, water and air healthy; striving to provide good care for your farm animals; growing and raising healthy food for their families; and protecting the environment. making decisions based on a code of ethical standards/best practices; Moms want to see farms and farmers More than 9 out of 10 would be interested in school field trips so their children can learn how farmers grow and raise food; and more than 8 out of 10 said they would be interested in visiting an Illinois family farm. Question: How interested would you be in the following types of information? What this means to you: We asked moms what would reassure them that their food is safe. Overwhelmingly, they feel that seeing for themselves how their food is grown and raised would ease their food safety concerns. They want to be educated on farming methods, and to feel that the food industry is being transparent with them about how their food is produced Communicating with moms: Moms want to feel that farmers are open, honest and transparent. They would like farmers to explain their methods and exactly why they farm the way they do. Many would like farmers to take an even more active role in communication.

13 Consumer Research Highlights 21 How can farmers be more transparent? Transparency = information. Any information or details about food make consumers feel more comfortable. Around 40 percent of consumers believe that when no information is available, this means the food industry has something to hide.* Lack of information makes them feel uncomfortable. That s why it s so important, as an industry, to give consumers more information. For example, research shows that even information on product labels can help consumers feel better about their food. Transparency = trust. *Source: USFRA Food Dialogues: Chicago, Transparency and Today s Consumer, Studies have shown that increased perceived industry transparency can lead to increased trust from consumers. Consumer outreach is making a difference. 55% increase in perceived agriculture industry transparency since % 34% of Americans feel the agriculture industry is transparent of Americans feel the agriculture industry is transparent Be more public. Speak out. Let us know what we should about you. Chicago-area mom Source: Emerging Faith in Food Production. Sullivan Higdon & Sink FoodThink,.

14 22 Consumer Research Highlights How do consumers want to learn about farms and farmers? It would seem to me that farmers should be more interested in getting the real story out or educating people on why these practices are still utilized. Maybe it s the best way to do it. Illinois consumer, female Consumers want information on demand and easy to find. They ll use the Internet, talk to their friends or look in places they are already frequenting, such as the grocery store. They want information about farming to be convenient and current. For moms and influentials, they want both the facts and to have firsthand experiences with you. How do we reach consumers? Information label on food 77% Farmers at farmers markets explaining how they grow and raise food Website with facts about how Illinois farmers grow and raise food 73% 73% Article or news story about Illinois family farmers 71% Brochure that you could pick up at the grocery store that explains how farmers grow and raise food 69% Videos by farmers and ranchers showing how they grow and raise food 66% Visit a family farm in Illinois 66% Opportunities for farmer engagement Consumers still turn first to informational labels on food for information. Today, they are also turning to web searches and social media outlets as well. School field trips to farms to explain to children how farmers grow and raise food 65% Percent Question: How interested would you be in the following types of information? What this means to you: We have an opportunity to create hands-on experiences that give consumers the information they re seeking

15 Consumer Research Highlights 23 How will you respond? Consumers are looking for answers. They want to understand how their food is grown and raised. They want to know what s in it. They want to be assured that it s good for them, their family and the world. They want to see what you do on your farm. Since 2010, we ve been having communications, dialogues and conversations with consumers. These outreach efforts have gone a long way towards bridging the gap between consumers and the people who grow their food. Moms want to trust you. They feel good when they know Illinois farms are family owned. They feel assured when we tell them you feed your family the same food they feed theirs. You re giving them reasons to believe you. You ve opened your doors to show consumers what you do, allowing consumers to see for themselves and make informed decisions about what you do. But consumers want more. That s why Illinois Farm Families is continuing the effort, and you can help. Now is the time to give consumers every reason to trust you. Our efforts are working: Moms feel more confident after farm tours. City Moms Food Safety Concerns Before Field Mom Program After Field Mom program City Moms very concerned with the safety of their food Question: Rank your level of concern regarding the safety of your food. Source: Source: Illinois Farm Families,

16 24 Consumer Research Highlights After we asked and listened, what are the most important things consumers want you to know? In their own words, consumers are telling you: I don t know much about what you do. You do something very important for me. You raise the food my family eats. The most important thing to me is protecting my family and ensuring their health. I know you work hard. I want to trust you. But I m concerned based on what I hear and see. I want to see for myself show me the way you farm. Share the truth with me. Give me reasons to trust you.