Did the “Pink Slime” Controversy Influence Publicly Traded Agribusiness Companies

Joshua Detre and Michael Gunderson

Choices: The Magazine of Food, Farm, and Resource Issues, 2012, vol. 27, issue 4, 4

Abstract: On March 7, 2012, ABC News aired a report on the use of lean, finely textured beef (LFTB), or “pink slime” as its reporters dubbed it. Although this was not the first time LFTB had been the subject of negative criticism on a national scale, the attention is no longer just coming from traditional media outlets (television, radio, and newspaper), but also from social media sources (Facebook, blogs, and Twitter). Of particular importance is the influence this reaction has had on the financial performance of agribusiness firms in the food supply chain. If image is everything and perception is reality, particularly as it relates to food safety, then agribusiness firms might be in for some challenges. Food and agribusiness firms will need to be prepared to react every time a food safety issue receives attention in social media irrespective of how these images and perceptions are generated.

Keywords: Agribusiness; Public Economics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:aaeach:143191

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.143191

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