Farmers overestimate negative perceptions, while consumers remain uncertain The research shows that farmers overestimate the level to which consumers have heard drawbacks about several key agricultural production practices, including biotechnology, the use of hormones in milk production, irradiation, and antibiotics used to treat animal diseases. The survey also indicates, consumers haven't heard or don't know much about many farming practices. Consumers want to make informed choices, and if the agriculture industry is not putting out the information, someone else will, and the information they share may not always be accurate or in the best interest of agriculture. It's clear that the agricultural industry has not done a good job educating consumers about the benefits of pesticide use. It's important that we don't make the same mistake with biotechnology and other new farming practices.
Consumers have a huge influence on agricultural policies.
We must address the gaps identified in this study if we want to establish sound farm policies. The Philip Morris family of companies is an agriculture-based consumer products company with 152,000 employees worldwide. It markets brands found in nine out of 10 consumer homes, including Kraft, Oscar Mayer, Post and Miller. The American Farm Bureau Federation is the nation's largest general farm organization with affiliated organizations in the 50 states and Puerto Rico. 606 East Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53202.