Consumer Preferences for Animal Welfare Attributes: The Case of Gestation Crates

Glynn Tonsor, Nicole J. Olynk and Christopher Wolf ()
Authors registered in the RePEc Author Service: Nicole Olynk Widmar

Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, 2009, vol. 41, issue 3, 17

Abstract: Animal welfare concerns are having dramatic impacts on food and livestock markets. Here we examine consumer preferences for pork products with a focus on use of gestation crates. We examine underlying consumer valuations of pork attributes while considering preference heterogeneity as well as voluntary and legislative alternatives in producing gestation crate-free pork. Our results suggest that prohibiting swine producers from using gestation crates fails to improve consumer welfare in the presence of a labeling scheme documenting voluntary disadoption of gestation crates. Consumers are found to implicitly associate animal welfare attributes with smaller farms. Preference heterogeneity drives notably diverse consumer welfare impacts when pork produced with use of gestation crates is no longer available for consumption.

Keywords: Agribusiness; Agricultural and Food Policy; Consumer/Household Economics; Industrial Organization; Livestock Production/Industries (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (72)

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Journal Article: Consumer Preferences for Animal Welfare Attributes: The Case of Gestation Crates (2009)
Working Paper: Consumer Preferences for Animal Welfare Attributes: Case of Gestation Crates (2008)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:joaaec:56658

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.56658

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