Breakfast on the farm: farm tour impacts on public perceptions of dairy cow welfare and sustainability

A.M.C. Smid; S.M. Roche; H.W. Barkema; W. Ruiter; B.A. Ventura

Breakfast on the farm: farm tour impacts on public perceptions of dairy cow welfare and sustainability

In: EurSafe2024 Proceedings

Authors:

A.M.C. Smid

A.M.C. Smid ¹Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada

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S.M. Roche

S.M. Roche ²ACER Consulting, Guelph, ON, Canada

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H.W. Barkema

H.W. Barkema ¹Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada

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W. Ruiter

W. Ruiter ³Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands

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B.A. Ventura

B.A. Ventura ⁴Department of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK

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Type:: Chapter

Pages:: 212–217

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004715509_035

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Dar Hadith al Hassania

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The need to better understand societal expectations for sustainable dairy farming is critical if the sector is to fulfil and maintain its social licence to produce. Concurrently, as the livestock sectors seek to engage with the public about practices, it is important to clarify the impact of different communication approaches. We used mixed-method surveys to document how farmer-guided farm tours impacted visitors’ perceptions of the Canadian dairy industry, with a secondary aim to assess whether outcomes are affected by tour delivery style (one-way education vs. a more open approach focused on inviting questions and discussion). Farmers trained in one of two styles (n=30, half in each) gave farm tours on 3 commercial dairy farms (Alberta, Canada) during ‘Breakfast on the Farm’ events in June 2022, with visitors (n=301) completing pre- and post-tour surveys about their perceptions of cow welfare and environmental stewardship. Of these, 138 also returned a two-week follow-up survey. Preliminary analysis has focused on descriptive summaries, with qualitative data processed via thematic analysis. Directly after the farm tours, almost half of participants reported more positive perceptions of cow welfare, whereas under 10% reported downward shifts in welfare perceptions. However, two weeks later nearly one third had reverted to more negative welfare perceptions, with concerns focused on cow-calf separation and lack of outdoor access. Similar trends were observed with environment perceptions, with concerns focused on emissions. Tour style did not have a clear impact on perception outcomes, which may be due to the challenges imposed by attempting dialogues during a walking farm tour. This study highlights the need to understand how, why, and what influences perceptions beyond the farm tour, as well as best practice for facilitating lasting engagement.

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EurSafe2024 Proceedings

Back to the future - Sustainable innovations for ethical food production and consumption

E-Book ISBN:: 9789004715509

Publisher:: Wageningen Academic

Print Publication Date:: 03 Sep 2024

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- Life Sciences
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Breakfast on the farm: farm tour impacts on public perceptions of dairy cow welfare and sustainability

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EurSafe2024 Proceedings

Back to the future - Sustainable innovations for ethical food production and consumption

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