ERIC Number: EJ1248409
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2020-Feb
Pages: 8
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-1077-5315
EISSN: N/A
Designing Educational Farm Tours to Improve Consumer Trust in Modern Agriculture
Ferris, Theodore A.; Smith, Julia M.; Dunckel, Mary A.; Cullens, Faith; Kuschel, Ashley
Journal of Extension, v58 n1 Article v58-1iw3 Feb 2020
Breakfast on the Farm educational farm tours were introduced in Michigan in 2009 to improve consumer knowledge about, impressions of, and trust in modern food production. Over 89,000 participants have attended events on 40 commercial dairy, beef, crop, and fruit farms. This article addresses organization and funding of the events and some of their general impacts. Volunteers staff stations on topics such as animal care, food safety, nutrition, and water quality. Surveys indicate that attendees' impressions of and trust in farmers and food production improve and that product purchases increase. Events patterned after Michigan's model have occurred in several states and may be implemented elsewhere for similar purposes.
Descriptors: Agriculture, Trust (Psychology), Consumer Education, Extension Education, Program Effectiveness
Extension Journal, Inc. e-mail: joe-ed@joe.org; Web site: http://www.joe.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Michigan
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A