20 pages., via databse., Based on a qualitative investigation comparing the ways in which French and Israeli Bordinary consumers view naturalness in food, this paper questions the choices they make in terms of food supply and their relations to the food production processes and the retail channels. The results of the study highlight that these representations, with the categorizations in which they are embodied, are strongly influenced by the context of life and the socio-cultural affiliations of these consumers. The comparison between the two countries allows to underline that the logic of categorization of the natural, and the related practices, are characterized by significant differences due to food cultures and relations of trust or mistrust regarding the food chains and industries. More broadly, the article demonstrates that investigating the conceptions that consumers have of naturalness is a relevant analyzer of their dietary decisions and their perceptions of food production and distribution systems.
Mather, Damien W. (author), Knight, John G. (author), Insch, Andrea (author), Holdsworth, David K. (author), Ermen, David F. (author), and Breitbarth, Tim (author)
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
2012
Published:
International
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D06487
6 pages., Evidence overwhelmingly supports the view that we need to drastically reduce our consumption of animal products for reasons related to the environment and public health, while moral concerns about the treatment of animals in agriculture are becoming ever more common. As governments increasingly recognize the need to change our food production and alternative protein products become more appealing to consumers, agriculture finds itself in a unique period of transition. How do farmers respond to the changing atmosphere? We present secondary analyses of qualitative and quantitative data to highlight some of the uncertainty and ambivalence about meat production felt throughout the farming community. Survey data from France and Germany reveals that in both countries, those who work in the meat industry have significantly higher rates of meat avoidance than those who do not work in the industry. While non-meat-industry workers are more likely to cite concerns for animals or the environment, meat industry workers more often cite concerns about the healthiness or safety of the products. Concurrently, interviews with people who raise animals for a living suggest that moral concerns among farmers are growing but largely remain hidden; talking about them openly was felt as a form of betrayal. We discuss these findings in the context of the ongoing agricultural transition, observe how tension has manifested as polarization among Dutch farmers, and offer some thoughts about the role of farmers in a new world of alternative proteins.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 148 Document Number: D11593
Journal Title Details:
37(Supp2) : S107-S112
Notes:
7 pages., Author compares attitudes and responses of French and American consumers to emergence of very accessible, inexpensive food, with accompanying differences in food selection, eating style, physical activity, and other aspects of living.
