Which Livestock Production Methods Matter Most to Consumers?

Consumers are becoming increasingly interested in how their food is produced. Many studies have focused on consumers’ preferences and willingness-to-pay for specific production method claims; however, few studies have asked consumers to prioritize (rank) the importance of different production method claims. In this study, we use a best-worst scaling approach to have consumers rank the importance of seven common production method claims across four product types: beef, milk, chicken, and eggs. Results of the study show that consumers often prefer specific individual claims (e.g., animals were not treated with growth hormones, no GMOs used in production) as opposed to broader, more encompassing claims (such as product is certified organic). Additionally, the majority of preference shares were captured by the top three claims, so livestock producers could utilize this information to optimize their current labeling schemes.