17 pages., via online journal., Social media are transforming communication between organizations and their audiences, and even changing the organizations themselves. Social media's low cost and low requirements for technical skills needed to both use and maintain an online presence allow small businesses with limited marketing budgets to use the same marketing strategies as bigger businesses with large marketing budgets. In addition, social media provides businesses direct and interactive ways to reach out and retain customers. This case study analyzes Cedar Park Farmers Market (CPFM)'s use of its Facebook page. Using Facebook Graph API Explorer, we extracted data regarding posts and fans of CPFM's Facebook page since the page was created. We then examined the data to explore the social networks, including farmers market organizers, vendors, and customers, within CPFM's Facebook page and how the market used its Facebook page, by looking at the Facebook page layout, composition of fans, post intensity, post ownership, media type, and degree of engagement. We found that (1) the market organizers, customers, vendors, and local communities were all engaged with the CPFM Facebook page; (2) the CPFM used Facebook as a marketing platform to publish timely information (e.g., available products or upcoming events) and to reach and retain customers and vendors; and (3) the CPFM's Facebook page functioned as a cyber–social hub to connect and engage the local community.
Lando, Amy (author / U.S. Food and Drug Administration), Verrill, Linda (author / U.S. Food and Drug Administration), and Wu,Fanfan (author / U.S. Food and Drug Administration)
Format:
Research summary
Publication Date:
2021-03
Published:
USA: U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 202 Document Number: D12132
Notes:
Online from publisher., National probability consumer survey designed to assess consumers' awareness, knowledge, understanding, and self-reported behaviors relating to a variety of food safety and nutrition-related topics. 76 pages. This printed research summary includes only the table of contents, executive summary, key findings regarding food safety and nutrition, and methodology used.
12 pages., ISSN 2141-2421, Via online journal., The overarching aim of this paper is to examine empirical findings on the arena of consumers’ behavior and attitude towards intake of street-foods (SFs) and fast foods (FFs) status as well as associated risks of consumption in China. Presently, consuming SFs and FFs have become a popular trend and is counted as the manifestation of modernity in most fast growing countries, for instance, China. The SFs and FFs are believed to be a panacea to the major socio-economic problems for countries having a large population. Over one-quarter of the century FFs and SFs become rapidly expanded in China through the quick service provision of already prepared foods with reasonable prices and source of employment for swarming open country and city inhabitants end to end to its supply. FFs and SFs are the most preferred by consumers because of safety issue, reasonable price, ready-made nature, easily accessible, portability, and so on. Concurrently, the nutritional and health concerns in China revealed that the government is very committed to quarantine and certifies FFs and SFs of food safety and public health, particularly after melamine was detected in milk in the year 2008. This later stimulated the Chinese regime to put into practice food safety law (FSL) in 2009 next to food hygiene law (FHL). FFs and SFs consumers in China are very conscious of food quality and give credit for safety than purchasing prices. Broadly speaking, most examined the papers indulged that FF and SF choice rely on ‘safety first’ by consumers in China. To sustain vendors stock and satisfy consumers’ demand for SF and FF, avoiding health risks, change in the existing perception and trust building is a priority issue.
Article first online: 18 July 2017, Via online journal., Farm to school programs have been positioned as interventions that can support goals of the global food sovereignty movement, including strengthening local food production systems, improving food access and food justice for urban populations, and reducing distancing between producers and consumers. However, there has been little assessment of how and to what extent farm to school programs can actually function as a mechanism leading to the achievement of food sovereignty. As implemented in North America, farm to school programs encompass activities not only related to school food procurement, but also to the development of student knowledge and skills under the framework of food literacy. Research on farm to school initiatives has largely been conducted in countries with government-supported national school feeding programs; this study examines farm to school organizing in Canada, where there is no national student nutrition program. Using qualitative fieldwork and document analysis, we investigate the farm to school movement in British Columbia, in a context where civil society concerns related to education and health have been the main vectors of farm to school mobilization. Our analysis suggests that, despite limited institutional infrastructure for school meals, the British Columbia farm to school movement has contributed toward realizing goals of food sovereignty through two main mechanisms: advocacy for institutional procurement of local and sustainable foods and mobilizing food literacy for increased public engagement with issues of social justice and equity in food systems.
19 pages., Authors scanned literature in nine food systems journals to identify and characterize instances of "food waste" and "food loss" mentions. Findings indicated that this topic is growing within food studies but is still a marginal concept. They suggested three potential areas of food systems research to help advance the discourse and progress in reducing food loss and wastage.
12 pages, Food waste and food insecurity are two concurrent major public health issues. To address them, gleaning programs can reduce waste and enhance food security by diverting produce to food pantries. To understand the experiences of farmers and gleaning programs, interviews were completed with 12 farmers who had participated in a gleaning program and 16 farmers who had not donated produce through a gleaning program within the Greater Kansas City metro area. For farmers who had participated in the gleaning program, the ease of donating and tax incentives were primary benefits. Inadequate experience and inefficient volunteers were cited as challenges. Farmers without experience with gleaning programs cited safety and liability issues as concerns. Because farmers communicate frequently with other farmers, food rescue organizations should consider enlisting their support. Communities and government agencies should provide financial support to improve the resources and infrastructure of gleaning organizations to improve farmer-gleaner relationships.
Online via AgriMarketing Weekly. 3 pages., Based on findings of the Ag Economy Barometer poll by Purdue University. Responses by farmers indicating they expect the market share of plant-based alternatives to beef, pork, and chicken will grow rapidly. Most said they would not grow crops for processing into a meat alternative, even if offered a contract.
15 pages., via online journal., Genetically modified organisms have been at the centre of a major public controversy, involving different interests and actors. While much attention has been devoted to consumer views on genetically modified food, there have been few attempts to understand the perceptions of genetically modified technology among farmers. By investigating perceptions of genetically modified organisms among Brazilian farmers, we intend to contribute towards filling this gap and thereby add the views of this stakeholder group to the genetically modified debate. A comparative analysis of our data and data from other studies indicate there is a complex variety of views on genetically modified organisms among farmers. Despite this diversity, we found variations in such views occur within limited parameters, concerned principally with expectations or concrete experiences regarding the advantages of genetically modified crops, perceptions of risks associated with them, and ethical questions they raise. We then propose a classification of prevailing profiles to represent the spectrum of perceptions of genetically modified organisms among farmers.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 153 Document Number: D07410
Notes:
Online from Donald W.Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ. 2 pages.
Online from publication. 4 pages., Report about a panel presentation at a meeting of the Produce Marketing Association. Panelist moderator reported that food delivery services such as Grubhub, DoorDash and Postmates can charge restaurants 20-35 percent commission per order, in addition to the monthly fee for the service. Customers typically pay a delivery fee, a driver tip, and sales tax. The moderator urged restaurants, "Be smart about where your money is spent, and be firm, and try and make it a good experience for yourself and your customers."
Availab le online at www.centmapress.org, Authors examined a 3D food printing tool, Structure3d, in the context of food innovation within a larger world of 3D printing innovation, science, and processing. Noted how 3D printing is increasingly emerging as a disruptive technology demanding to be recognized for its potential contribution to a rapidly evolving innovation economy.
6 pages., Via online journal., The study of food is crucial since food is part of daily life of people. Also, food and gastronomy are a very important leisure and travel issue. This is reflected through the huge attention that media pay to food stories. Food journalism has become a field of increasing interest, and the study of journalistic narratives allows to understand concrete cultural and social realities. Within this context, the current paper analyses food in journalistic storytelling. The objective of the research is to define a methodological proposal of topics in order to study the food-based contents found in legacy media, particularly, in daily newspapers. To achieve it, the food contents of The New York Times, the world's food journalism referent, are revisited.
11 pages., Online via UI e-subscription., This article addressed concerns that "food marketing directed at children is ubiquitous and effective, and hence is a significant contributor to childhood obesity both in the U.S. and other countries. Authors provided a review of literature about this development and public issue. As well, they offered suggestions for parents, community leaders, policy makers, and the food industry.
Bentley, Amy (author) and Spackman, Christy (author)
Format:
Book chapter
Publication Date:
2014
Published:
International
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 153 Document Number: D11628
Notes:
16 pages., Chapter in 2014 edition of Paul B. Thompson and David M. Kaplan (editors), Encyclopedia of Food and Agricultural Ethics, Springer, Dordrecht. Online via UI e-book., Sustained, cultural exploration of foods at the core of disturbances (bread, meat, rice, or milk) arising from deprivation that stirs people to the point of collective action.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D08680
Notes:
Pages 33-50 in Fred Magdoff and Brian Tokar (eds.), Agriculture and food in crisis: conflict, resistance and renewal. Monthly Review Press, New York City, New York. 348 pages.
Via online issue. 3 pages., Results of a 2020 study by the Produce for Better Health Foundation indicate that fruit and vegetable consumption in the U.S. has declined almost 10 percent since 2004.
13 pages., via online journal., This paper conducts a detailed analysis of urban food and online networks in Bristol, UK. In particular, it examines social media postings of grass-roots food networks. Qualitative research identifies and analyses five core themes, from which two dominant discourses emerge. Analysis reinforces the multifunctional nature of city food but moves beyond dominant scholarly pre-occupations with nutrition and physical resources. Instead, the paper positions social and symbolic aspects as equal components within the convening power of food. To date, social media has been neglected in urban food research, although this is a space as well-tended and structured as the physical spaces it augments. The paper finds a relationship of limited collaboration between the grass-roots networks and the city council. While the former are dynamic and networked, the council adheres to a linear policy process that limits the scope of citizenship. The relationships examined here indicate implications for urban planning processes.
9 pages., Via online journal., Food labels legislated by the U.S. government have been designed to provide information to consumers. It has been asserted that the simple disclosures “produced using genetic engineering” on newly legislated U.S. food labels will send a signal that influences individual preferences rather than providing information. Vermont is the only US state to have experienced mandatory labeling of foods produced using genetic engineering (GE) via simple disclosures. Using a representative sample of adults who experienced Vermont’s mandatory GE labeling policy, we examined whether GE labels were seen by consumers and whether the labels provided information or influenced preferences. Nearly one-third of respondents reported seeing a label. Higher income, younger consumers who search for information about GE were more likely to report seeing a label. We also estimated whether labels served as information cues that helped reveal consumer preferences through purchases, or whether labels served as a signal that influenced preferences and purchases. For 50.5% of consumers who saw a label, the label served as an information cue that revealed their preferences. For 13% of those who saw the label, the label influenced preferences and behavior. Overall, for 4% of the total sample, simple GE disclosures influenced preferences. For a slight majority of consumers who used a GE label, simple disclosures were an information signal and not a preference signal. Searching for GE information, classifying as female, older age and opposing GE in food production significantly increased the probability that GE labels served as an information source. Providing such disclosures to consumers may be the least complex and most transparent option for mandatory GE labeling.
13 pages., Online via UI e-subscription., "Despite the broadening of the American palate, Americans have shown little interest in the cuisines of Sub-Saharan Africa. This article examines how this lack of interest in African cuisines may lie in the limited and often stereotyped representations of Africa."
Article online from publication issue. 3 pages., Report of a panel discussion during the Produce Marketing Association virtual conference, "Foodservice: delivered virtual." One panelist noted that the coronavirus pandemic has "brought the restaurant to you, in your home. And it's here to stay." And it includes not only restaurants, but also the purveyors - "farmers and everybody." One panelist advised the foodservice industry to give back to a community, even while suffering financially. "When we think of what it means to be in hospitality, it means to serve. This is a call to action. Think of ways to serve."
International: International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington, D.C.
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 202 Document Number: D12089
Notes:
Online from IFPRI website. 4 pages., Question/Answer interview with two representatives of IFPRI. Responses address IFPRI policy toward Open Data, linkages between Open Data and food security, challenges in sharing data and knowledge on food security with organizations around the world, and messaging suggestions to help developing countries make informed decisions.
Hirsch, Darya (author), Heuschkel, Zoe (author), and Terlau, Wiltrud (author)
Format:
Paper
Publication Date:
2018
Published:
Germany
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 106 Document Number: D10930
Notes:
2018 International European Forum (163rd EAAE Seminar), February 5-9, 2018, Innsbruck, Austria. International European Forum on System Dynamics and Innovation in Food Networks. 5 pages., Urban food systems consist of many stakeholders with different perspectives, different interests and different governance tools. This study aimed at developing potential future scenarios for the food system of Cologne by analysing the system with a Delphi approach. In our research-design, the suitability of the Delphi-method was evaluated not only as a tool for future modelling and scenario design, but also as a communication tool among the group of participants on a multistakeholder platform. As a case study, the Food Policy Council of Cologne, Germany was used. Cologne can be seen as a forerunner among German cities in the development of a new urban food policy. Some of the successful steps to re-envisioning food as an urban system include joining the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact, the decision of the City Council to become an edible city and the establishment of a Food Policy Council. For the study it was important to capture participants’ visions of a common goal regarding the governance of the urban food system and also to identify mental ‘silos’. It was obvious that the municipality of Cologne together with the Food Policy Council made great efforts towards participatory processes to build a vision for a sustainable and regional food supply. However, many stakeholder-groups in the process still work exclusively among themselves and do not actively practice the confrontation with the viewpoints of other relevant groups. This supports the maintenance of ‘silos’ and leaves little room for face-to-face discussions. Therefore, the primary aim of this study is to explore key components of food provisioning in the future for Cologne while confronting all stakeholders (municipal administration and politicians, farmers and food activists) with the perspectives of all group members. We used a multi-stakeholder Delphi approach with 19 panellists to find out essential components of the municipal regional food provisioning system in Cologne. Unique in this Delphi study is the bringing together of municipal administration, regional urban farmers and food activists. The research is still on-going, but preliminary results show that more communication among all relevant actors, especially horizontally among different city departments, in the urban food system is needed.
12 pages., via online journal, Local food systems are an emerging way for communities to build vibrant economies, improve health outcomes, and limit their environmental impact. Studies have shown local food engagement differs significantly between generations; however, what remains unclear is how generations’ perceptions and engagement compare to each other so the agricultural community can most effectively communicate about local food systems. Leveraging audience segmentation theory from social marketing, this study sought to address how the five living generations in the United States – Generation Z, Millennials, Generation X, Baby Boomers, and The Silent Generation – perceived and engaged with local food systems. To address this question, a non-probability opt-in sampling of 863 adults in the state of Georgia was used. Each participant was asked four questions pertaining to different aspects of local food systems – the purchase of local foods from grocery stores, use of local food markets, participation in local food events, and level of engagement with local food related media. Millennials and Generation X’ers expressed significantly higher levels of engagement with local food systems when compared to Baby Boomers and The Silent Generation, this was not observed between Generation Z and any other group. While Millennials and X’ers engaged at higher levels, significant opportunities remain for engagement through generation-specific media to turn the universal tepid interest in local food systems into action. Future research should seek to identify the relationship between generational media preferences and how effective they are at transforming interest in local food systems into action.
7 pages, Climate change is considered primarily as a human-created phenomenon that is changing the way humans live. Nowhere are the impacts of climate change more evident than in the food ecosphere. Climate-induced changes in temperature, precipitation, and rain patterns, as well as extreme weather events have already started impacting the yield, quality, and safety of food. Food safety and the availability of food is a fundamental aspect of ensuring food security and an adequate standard of living. With climate change, there have been increasing instances of observed changes in the safety of food, particularly from a microbiological standpoint, as well as its quality and yield. Thus, there is an urgent need for the implementation of advanced methods to predict the food safety implications of climate change (i.e., future food safety issues) from a holistic perspective (overall food system). Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other such advanced technologies have, over the years, permeated many facets of the food chain, spanning both farm- (or ocean-) to-fork production, and food quality and safety testing and prediction. As a result, these are perfectly positioned to develop novel models to predict future climate change-induced food safety risks. This article provides a roundup of the latest research on the use of AI in the food industry, climate change and its impact on the food industry, as well as the social, ethical, and legal limitations of the same. Particularly, this perspective review stresses the importance of a holistic approach to food safety and quality prediction from a microbiological standpoint, encompassing diverse data streams to help stakeholders make the most informed decisions.
13 pages, via online journal, This study tested whether message tailoring of recipes and food-use tips for low-income households is superior to providing a generic version of the material. The field experiment was conducted in the busy conditions found at community food pantries, and included 10 food distributions at each of six sites. We analyzed the consumption of fresh vegetables 6 days following distributions, and retention of print materials 6 weeks later. Self-determination and reactance theories guided the development of tailoring in an indigenous fashion, allowing each pantry client to choose recipes and food tips thought personally useful. This contrasted against paternalistic tailoring, common in health communication, where a motivational theory is used to regulate the health messages given to recipients. Results demonstrated benefits of tailoring over both generic and control conditions and uncovered the degree of tailoring that produced the largest effects. As suggested by construal level theory, the intervention addressed recipients' immediate and concrete decisions about healthy eating, instead of distant or abstract goals like prevention of illnesses. We documented per-client costs of tailored information. Results also suggested that benefits from social capital at sites offering a health outreach may exceed the impact of message tailoring on outcomes of interest.
Available online at www.centmapress.org, Authors address the production of proteins from insects as the next big challenge for Western countries. Results from a sampling of millennials suggested that acceptance is "far to be obtained, although the most powerful driver to insect consumption can be the invisibility of the insect shape."
12 pages, via Online Journal, Climate change compels us to rethink the ethics of our dietary choices and has become an interesting issue for ethicists concerned about diets, including animal ethicists. The defenders of veganism have found that climate change provides a new reason to support their cause because many animal-based foods have high greenhouse gas emissions. The new style of argumentation, the ‘climatic argument(s) for veganism’, may benefit animals by persuading even those who are not concerned about animals themselves but worry about climate change. The arguments about the high emissions of animal-based food, and a resulting moral obligation to abstain from eating such products, are an addition to the prior forms of argument for principled veganism grounded on the moral standing of, and concern for, nonhuman animals. In this paper, we examine whether the climatic argument for veganism is convincing. We propose a formulation for the amended version of the argument and discuss its implications and differences compared to the moral obligations of principled veganism. We also reflect upon the implications of our findings on agricultural and food ethics more generally.
Authors examined the growth of meal kit delivery services. They advance three arguments to explore the cultural phenomenon of these services. "Despite their investment in the performative dimensons of cooking as a way to reconnect with the food system, they also miss opportunities to address gender, culture, and waste, which limits the radical potential of that performativity."
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 34 Document Number: D10674
Notes:
6 pages., via Scientific American website., Demand for seafood is increasing across the globe, and the United States is no exception. Aquaculture, or aquatic farming, is increasingly meeting this demand and now supplies just over 50 percent of all seafood globally. In fact, it has been one of the world’s fastest growing food sectors for years.
11 pages, Food, waste, and food waste are embroiled in a wide array of political and moral debates in the United States today. These debates are staged across a range of scales and sites—from individual decisions made in front of refrigerators and compost bins to public deliberations on the U.S. Senate and House floors. They often manifest as a moral panic inspiring a range of Americans at seemingly opposed ends of the political spectrum. This article contrasts three distinct sites where food waste is moralized, with the aim of deconstructing connections between discarded food and consumer ethics. In doing so, we argue that across the contemporary American social strata, food waste reduction efforts enfold taken-for-granted ideas of moral justice, or theodicy, that foreground individual responsibility and, as a result, obfuscate broader systemic issues of food inequality perpetuated by late stage capitalism.
USA: International Food Information Council Foundation, Washington, D.C.
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 202 Document Number: D12150
Notes:
Online from publisher. 45 pages., Report of findings from a probability survey of 1,199 American parents and caregivers ages 18-80 regarding children ages 2-10. Aspects involved knowledge and understanding of dietary recommendations, behavior associated with feeding this age group, sources of information when making dietary decisions, purchasing habits when food shopping for children, areas of concern when feeding this age group, and areas of need for additional science-based information when feeding this age group.
14 pages., via online journal., ‘In the mid-1990s, a mismatch was addressed between European genetically modified food policy, which focused primarily on risks and economic prospects, and public anxieties, which also included other concerns, and there was a development in European food policy toward the inclusion of what were referred to as “ethical aspects.” Using parliamentary debates in Denmark in 2002 and 2015 as a case, this article examines how three storylines of concern that were visible in public discourse at the time were represented by the decision makers in parliament. It shows that core public concerns raising fundamental questions about genetically modified foods, and in particular their perceived unnaturalness, were not considered in the parliamentary debates. It is suggested that the failure of the parliament to represent the public may undermine the legitimacy of politicians and lead to disillusionment with parliamentary government.
Martinez, Steve (author), Hand, Michael (author), Da Pra, Michelle (author), Pollack, Susan (author), Ralston, Katherine (author), Smith, Travis (author), Vogel, Stephen (author), Clark, Shellye (author), Lohr, Luanne (author), Low, Sarah (author), and Newman, Constance (author)
Format:
Research report
Publication Date:
2010-05
Published:
USA: Economic Research Service, U.S Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 93 Document Number: D10861
Notes:
Printed results of related research (Appendices A and B)retained in ACDC., Economic Research Report Number 97. Online via University of Illinois Extension. 87 pages.
25pgs, se programs in the peer-reviewed literature, the objectives were to identify factors that facilitate or hinder the implementation of these two local value chain models of healthy food access and to identify the perceived impacts from the perspective of the sites implementing them. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with CFS (n = 7) and DS (n = 10) site representatives in January 2020. Template analysis was used to identify themes through a priori and inductive codes. Participants identified two primary facilitators: support from partner organizations and on-site program stewardship. Produce (and program) seasonality and mitigating food waste were the most cited challenges. Despite challenges, both CFS and DS sites perceive the models to be successful efforts for supporting the local economy, achieving organizational missions, and providing consumers with greater access to locally grown produce. These innovative programs demonstrate good feasibility, but long-term sustainability and impacts on other key stakeholders merit further investigation.
14pgs, The unjust distribution of poor health outcomes produced via current United States food systems indicates the need for inclusive and innovative policymaking at the local level. Public health and environmental organizers are seeking to improve food environments from the ground up with locally driven policy initiatives but since 2010 have increasingly met resistance via state-government preemption of local policymaking power. This analysis seeks to understand how political actors on both sides of preemption debates use rhetorical argumentation. In doing so, we offer insights to the meaning-making process specific to food systems. We argue that advocates for local food-system innovations are forwarding understandings of food and community that contradict the policy goals they seek. We offer suggestions for local food and environmental advocates for adjusting their arguments.
13 pages., Online via Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ)., Analysis among adolescents (12-17 years old) revealed four types of food preferences: varied diet, avoiding vegetables, low appetite, and healthy diet. Urban versus rural residence was among the major predictors for food preferences.
Chowdhury, Shyamal (author), Negassa, Asfaw (author), and Torero, Maximo (author)
Format:
Research report
Publication Date:
2005-10
Published:
International: International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington, D.C.
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 102 Document Number: D10927
Notes:
Food Consumption and Nutrition Division Discussion Paper 195 and Markets, Trade, and Institutions Division Discussion Paper 89. 44 pages., This paper examines how market institutions can affect links between urban and rural areas with specific emphasis on goods market integration in the national context. Traditionally, development researchers and practitioners have focused either on rural market development or on urban market development without considering the interdependencies and synergies between the two. However, more than ever before, emerging local and global patterns such as the modern food value-chain led by supermarkets and food processors, rapid urbanization, changes in dietary composition, and enhanced information and communication technologies point to the need to pay close attention to the role of markets both in linking rural areas with intermediate cities and market towns and promotion of economic development and poverty reduction. This paper begins with a presentation of a conceptual framework of market integration and then identifies five major factors that increase the transfer costs that subsequently hinder market integration between rural and urban areas: information asymmetry, transaction costs, transport and communication costs, policy induced barriers, and social and noneconomic factors. Five specific cases in five developing countries are examined in this study to demonstrate the primary sources of transfer costs and the aspects of market institutions that are important to market integration and promotion of rural-urban linkages. While emerging institutions such as modern intermediaries linked to supermarkets and food processors can reduce information asymmetries between rural producers and urban consumers, existing institutions such as producers’ cooperatives can pool the risks, increase the bargaining power of small producers, reduce enforcement costs, and thereby reduce transaction costs. In addition, new types of partnerships between businesses and NGOs, and between public and private sectors, can improve infrastructure provision which, in turn, can reduce transport and communication costs. To the contrary, the presence of inappropriate policies or noneconomic factors such as those that involve social exclusion take on a negative role in linking urban and rural markets.
University of Tasmania, 10 pages, At the same time as overweight and obesity have come to dominate population health priorities in most western countries, food programming takes up more time on western television screens than ever before. This has resulted both in increased televisual representations of so-called ‘unhealthy’ foods (such as butter, cream and fatty red meats), and in greater public health scrutiny of the preparation and consumption of such foods. This article explores this paradox via a case study of MasterChef Australia, the most successful iteration of the popular MasterChef franchise. At a time when the ‘obesity epidemic’ has been a particular focus of Australian public health promotion, MasterChef Australia revels in the apparently ‘excessive’ use of saturated fats, especially butter, a food routinely declared by Australian health advocacy bodies as one to be avoided. This article argues that MasterChef Australia offers an alternative to puritanical nutrition discourses – not, on the whole, by explicitly contesting them, but by presenting food in ways that such discourses are largely irrelevant. The public health concerns generated by this use of butter on MasterChef Australia offer important insight into current debates about food and health, and, in particular, into the limitations of current public health communication strategies.
Online from publisher., Brief report and analysis of research published by the National Academy of Sciences showing a strong positive relationship between meatpacking plants and local community transmission. "...the risk of excess death primarily came from large meatpacking plants operated by industry giants." Communities that shut down slaughterhouses reduced spread.
15 pages., Article #: 4690, via online journal., As with environment and sustainable development, there has been a rapid rise in the
worldwide consumption of organic foods over the last years, as well as the quickly growing potential
of organic markets in China, and their direct influence on consumer health awareness and social
opinion. This study provides insights into Chinese consumers’ attitudes toward organic foods and
evaluates purchase intention’s impact as a mediator in the relationship between external and internal
factors on purchase intention. This empirical study is based on an online questionnaire using a sample
of 1421 Chinese consumers. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used as the main practical
approach for data analysis, and six hypotheses were examined. The results show that a more positive
attitude on the part of consumers toward organic foods will further reinforce their purchasing
intentions, whereas, there was no significant impact of marketing price and communication on
consumers’ attitudes toward organic foods. Furthermore, the results show that intention was a
full or a whole mediator among the three exogenous constructs of environment awareness, health
consciousness, and subjective norms. Based on the findings, marketing communication strategies
should concentrate on offering more value to consumers regarding the features of nutritional value.
Long-term environment friendliness, health benefits, and social status symbols should be assumed to
enhance consumers’ purchase intention in the organic foods industry.
8 pages., Special issue. Online via open access., Using evidence in existing literature, authors created an economic model to predict the impact of obesity on the aggregate lifetime earnings for the Millennium Generation and the consequences for employers and employees. They proposed a common health framework to business strategies to contain costs and maximize Millennial workers' health and productivity.
Agriculture and Economic Development Analysis Division (author)
Format:
Research report
Publication Date:
2013
Published:
Ghana: Food and Agriculture Oranization of the United Nations
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 204 Document Number: D12449
Journal Title Details:
2013 Report
Notes:
173 pages., The synthesis report by FAO’s Monitoring African Food and Agricultural Policies (MAFAP) team, is the first ever attempt to systematically analyze agriculture and food security policies in several African countries, using common methodology over years. The report found that in the period between 2005 and 2010, the policy environment and performance of domestic markets depressed producer prices in the ten African countries analyzed, though the trend is improving. Most governments resorted to m arket and trade policies to protect consumers and keep food prices down in the reference period whilst budgetary transfers, were mainly been used to support producers. The report concludes that producer prices would improve significantly if inefficiencies in domestic value chains were eliminated through better targeted policies. These inefficiencies however seem to be increasing in all ten countries surveyed. The current MAFAP partner countries are: Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mala wi, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda.
14 pages., CONTEXT
The U.S. has the world's largest organic food market. However, low domestic production and a low adoption rate of organic grain farming limit the overall development of this sector. Multiple organic stakeholders have called for a better understanding of cognitive and motivational aspects of farmers' decision-making processes to help policymakers, agricultural scientists, and extension practitioners to work more effectively with farmers to explore and adopt organic grain production.
OBJECTIVE
This paper assesses farmers' adoption motivations, long-term goals, and perceived benefits to examine the congruence between initial motivations, long-term goals, and current perceived benefits.
METHODS
We employed a sequential mixed-method approach that first interviewed organic farmers in Iowa, U.S. Then developed and administered a statewide survey for the organic farmers. Survey data were analyzed with confirmatory factor analysis, paired-samples t-tests, and heteroskedasticity-robust regression models.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS
We identified five highly-rated motivations for farmers to adopt organic grain: 1) profitability, 2) personal safety, 3) natural resources stewardship, 4) consumers and public health, and 5) honor and tradition. We found organic farmers' long-term goals are strongly orientated to both productivism and stewardship but less strongly oriented to civic-mindedness. This research assessed five areas of benefits associated with organic grain farming: 1) economic benefit, 2) addressed health concerns, 3) environmental natural resources, 4) values and beliefs validation, and 5) social benefit. This study found the benefits farmers experienced by adopting organic grain farming aligned with most of their original adoption motivations and long-term goals, except for serving the motivation of consumer and public health concerns.
Richards, Timothy J. (author), Klein, Gordon (author), Bonner, Celine (author), and Bouamra-Mechemache, Zohra (author)
Format:
Research summary
Publication Date:
unknown
Published:
International
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 199 Document Number: D10026
Notes:
Paper presented at the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association annual meeting, Chicago, Illinois, July 30-August 1, 2017. 44 pages., Authors examined retail sales data in several product categories (e.g., coffee and soft drinks) to learn how margins can vary with package size. They cited evidence of "strategic obfuscation" through slight differentiations of product sizes or flavors.
13 pages., Via online journal., This paper reflects a major concern of nutrition and health educators in the developing world today, namely, how to formulate and implement participatory nutrition intervention programs with community members and key government officials who may come from a number of different development
sectors. Through the description of a project entitled "Social Marketing of Vitamin A-Rich Foods,"
the paper highlights the value of a two-way concept of nutrition communication and problem-solving
which is put in operation by establishing mechanisms for working with both institutional and community
groups. This entails calling upon such conceptual frameworks as behavior analysis, nutritional anthropology, media advocacy and social marketing as means for working with collaborators in a decentralized, nondirective fashion. The paper also illustrates how mass media and printed nutrition education materials can potentially support broad institutional and community development processes as well as providing a guideline of requirements for future programs and projects.
9 pages., Online via UI electronic subscription., The study involved a survey among 39 respondents from the milling industry and supermarkets, the main processors and distributors of maize products, in seven urban centres of Kenya. Identified information sources, knowledge level of biotechnology, and perceptions and preferences involving genetically modified food.
Askelson, Natoshia M. (author), Golembiewsk, Elizabeth H. (author), Meier, Cristian L. (author), Smith, Rosamond (author), Montgomery, Doris (author), Lillehoj, Catherine J. (author), and Wilson, Suzy (author)
Format:
Online journal article
Publication Date:
2019
Published:
SAGE Journals
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 18 Document Number: D10525
11 pages., via online journal., Pick a better snack™, a multicomponent social marketing intervention to promote fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption, develops children’s ability to ask their parents for F&V. This study’s purpose was to understand this “pester power” from the child’s perspective. Pester power is leveraging children’s ability to convince their parents to purchase items in the store that they normally would not have considered buying. Focus groups were conducted with third-grade program participants (n = 30) and involved a traditional discussion format, a drawing activity, and role-playing. Most of the communication participants described involved straightforward requests, although a few children described behaviors such as whining. Most reported their parents responded affirmatively to requests, and some described a positive emotional response from parents. Parent denials were typically related to concerns about cost or the child not eating the item after purchase. Findings pointed to high self-efficacy and response efficacy among these children, although role-playing of effective asking strategies and addressing reasons why parents deny requests could enhance the program. Social marketing efforts including children should consider how pester power may play a role in moving adult behavior.
7 pages., via online journal., Pesticide use and pesticide residues in foods have been the subject of controversial public discussions and media coverage in Germany. Against this background, a better understanding of public risk perceptions is needed to promote efficient public health communication. To this end, this study captures the German public's perception of pesticide residues in foods. A representative sample of the population aged 14 years and older (n = 1,004) was surveyed via computer-assisted telephone interviewing on their attitudes and knowledge with regard to pesticide residues. Based on questions regarding their typical consumer behavior, respondents were classified into conventional and organic consumers to identify differences as well as similarities between these two consumer types. As assessed with an open-ended question, both organic and conventional consumers viewed pesticides, chemicals, and toxins as the greatest threats to food quality and safety. Evaluating the risks and benefits of pesticide use, more than two-thirds of organic consumers (70%) rated the risks as greater than the benefits, compared with just over one-half of conventional consumers (53%). Concern about the detection of pesticide residues in the food chain and bodily fluids was significantly higher among organic compared with conventional consumers. Only a minority of respondents was aware that legal limits for pesticide residues (referred to as maximum residue levels) exist, with 69% of organic and 61% of conventional consumers believing that the presence of pesticide residues in foods is generally not permitted. A lack of awareness of maximum residue levels was associated with heightened levels of concern about pesticide residues. Finally, general exposure to media reporting on pesticide residues was associated with more frequent knowledge of legal limits for pesticide residues, whereas actively seeking information on pesticide residues was not. The possible mechanisms underlying these findings are discussed.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 202 Document Number: D12140
Notes:
Online via AgriMarketing Weekly. 2 pages., Findings of a survey of more than 1,000 U.S. adults commissioned by Proagrica indicated that 39% of U.S. consumers considered going vegetarian or vegan since the COVID-19 pandemic began. These attitudes were apparent in relation to both grocery shopping and eating out. Health was cited as the main reason for considering changes in diet, followed closely by the cost of meat.
2pgs, Animal intrusion into produce fields has been an obvious food safety risk for some time. More recently, the risks associated with proximity to animal agriculture and habitats — including evidence for commodities other than leafy greens — have received high-profile interest, demanding increased attention from the fresh produce industry.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 12 Document Number: D10416
Notes:
2 pages., Online from the website of the Food Marketing Institute, Arlington, Virginia., Recommended date labeling of food products, in terms of "Best if used by" and "Use by" dates
Online open access via AgEcon Search., Authors used a survey to examine the information and communication technology (ICT) usage and attitudes by enterprises operating in the agri-food sector. "...competitive advantage my be reached using ITC solutions for widening and maintaining relations through a more effective information flow with partners and consumers."
USA: Commodity Economics Division, Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D10783
Notes:
Report also available online via the Hathi Trust Digital Library. Claude W. Gifford Collection. Beyond his materials in the ACDC collection, the Claude W. Gifford Papers, 1919-2004, are deposited in the University of Illinois Archives. Serial Number 8/3/81. Locate finding aid at https://archives.library.illinois.edu/archon/, Agricultural Economic Report Number 660. 165 pages., Includes sections involving communications related to food marketing at various levels, food safety concerns, health consciousness, changing demand, and other topics.
24 pages., Online via UI Catalog., In 2008, a case of intentional food poisoning involving Chinese imported dumplings resulted in mass panic in Japan. To shed light on the concrete ways of risk calibration by the media, this article compared the incident's coverage to a strikingly similar even in 2014 involving domestic produce. Content analysis showed how the specific discursive construction of both incidents led to two different levels of risk, primarily through the framing of the incidents by references to former experiences and symbolic connotations.
14 pages., Food ecologies and economies are vital to the survival of communities, non-human species, and our planet. While environmental communication scholars have legitimated food as a topic of inquiry, the entangled ecological, cultural, economic, racial, colonial, and alimentary relations that sustain food systems demand greater attention. In this essay, we review literature within and beyond environmental communication, charting the landscape of critical food work in our field. We then illustrate how environmental justice commitments can invigorate interdisciplinary food systems-focused communication scholarship articulating issues of, and critical responses to, injustice and inequity across the food chain. We stake an agenda for food systems communication by mapping three orientations—food system reform, justice, and sovereignty—that can assist in our critical engagements with and interventions into the food system. Ultimately, we entreat environmental communication scholars to attend to the bends, textures, and confluences of these orientations so that we may deepen our future food-related inquiries.
Online from publisher website. Published February 6, 2020., Article addresses the shrinking number of full-time food critics in Canada, as employed by major newspapers and publications. Cites values that qualified food journalists offer through news and reviews involving food and nutrition.
7 pages, Many current food systems are unsustainable because they cause significant resource depletion and unacceptable environmental impacts. This problem is so severe, it can be argued that the food eaten today is equivalent to a fossil resource. The transition to sustainable food systems will require many changes but of particular importance will be the harnessing of internet technology, in the form of an ‘Internet of Food’, which offers the chance to use global resources more efficiently, to stimulate rural livelihoods, to develop systems for resilience and to facilitate responsible governance by means of computation, communication, education and trade without limits of knowledge and access. A brief analysis of the evidence of resource depletion and environmental impact associated with food production and an outline of the limitations of tools like life cycle assessment, which are used to quantify the impact of food products, indicates that the ability to combine data across the whole system from farm to human will be required in order to design sustainable food systems. Developing an Internet of Food, as a precompetitive platform on which business models can be built, much like the internet as we currently know it, will require agreed vocabularies and ontologies to be able to reason and compute across the vast amounts of data that are becoming available. The ability to compute over large amounts of data will change the way the food system is analysed and understood and will permit a transition to sustainable food systems.
