IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jagris/v10y2020i12p609-d458549.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Animal Welfare Programs in Germany—An Empirical Study on the Attitudes of Pig Farmers

Author

Listed:
  • Sirkka Schukat

    (Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, University of Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany)

  • Louisa von Plettenberg

    (Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, University of Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany)

  • Heinke Heise

    (Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, University of Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany)

Abstract

In Europe, there is ongoing social criticism of conventional pig farming and demands for higher farm animal welfare standards. This applies primarily to products from pig production, as consumers criticize, among other things, the animals’ housing conditions, tail docking, neutering, or keeping them on slatted floors. Various animal welfare programs have tried to meet the consumers’ demands. Pig farmers are directly involved in the production process and are therefore key stakeholders for the successful implementation of animal welfare programs such as the German Initiative Animal Welfare. The Initiative Animal Welfare was founded in 2015 and serves as an example in this study, as it has been established for two rounds and involves high numbers of participants. However, little is known about the attitudes of pig farmers towards this specific animal welfare program. Thus, the aim of this study is to investigate these attitudes towards animal welfare programs using the example of German pig producers and identify group differences. Based on an online survey of German conventional pig farmers, four clusters were formed which differ in their attitude to the Initiative Animal Welfare. Overall, all farmers, regardless of the cluster, feel publicly pressured by politics and the media. In addition, all farmers are skeptical about the effort involved in participating in the Initiative Animal Welfare (IAW), especially with regard to the additional documentation requirements and unannounced controls. The findings can provide guidance for the design of animal welfare programs taking into account the needs of farmers.

Suggested Citation

  • Sirkka Schukat & Louisa von Plettenberg & Heinke Heise, 2020. "Animal Welfare Programs in Germany—An Empirical Study on the Attitudes of Pig Farmers," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-17, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:10:y:2020:i:12:p:609-:d:458549
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/10/12/609/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/10/12/609/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Weinrich, Ramona & Kühl, Sarah & Franz, Anabell & Spiller, Achim, 2015. "Consumer Preferences for High Welfare Meat in Germany: Self-service Counter or Service Counter?," International Journal on Food System Dynamics, International Center for Management, Communication, and Research, vol. 6(1), pages 1-18, March.
    2. Rode, Julian & Gómez-Baggethun, Erik & Krause, Torsten, 2015. "Motivation crowding by economic incentives in conservation policy: A review of the empirical evidence," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 270-282.
    3. Andres Trujillo-Barrera & Joost M. E. Pennings & Dianne Hofenk, 2016. "Understanding producers' motives for adopting sustainable practices: the role of expected rewards, risk perception and risk tolerance," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 43(3), pages 359-382.
    4. Van Loo, Ellen J. & Caputo, Vincenzina & Nayga, Rodolfo M. & Verbeke, Wim, 2014. "Consumers’ valuation of sustainability labels on meat," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(P1), pages 137-150.
    5. Matthias Heyder & Ludwig Theuvsen, 2012. "Determinants and Effects of Corporate Social Responsibility in German Agribusiness: A PLS Model," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(4), pages 400-420, September.
    6. Ingenbleek, Paul T.M. & Immink, Victor M. & Spoolder, Hans A.M. & Bokma, Martien H. & Keeling, Linda J., 2012. "EU animal welfare policy: Developing a comprehensive policy framework," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(6), pages 690-699.
    7. Weinrich, Ramona & Kühl, Sarah & Franz, Anabell & Spiller, Achim, 2015. "Consumer preferences for meat: self-service counter or service counter?," 2015 International European Forum (144th EAAE Seminar), February 9-13, 2015, Innsbruck-Igls, Austria 206232, International European Forum on System Dynamics and Innovation in Food Networks.
    8. Von Hardenberg, Louisa & Heise, Heinke, 2018. "German Pig Farmers’ Attitudes Towards Farm Animal Welfare And Their Willingness To Participate In Animal Welfare Programs: An Empirical Study," 2018 International European Forum (163rd EAAE Seminar), February 5-9, 2018, Innsbruck-Igls, Austria 276867, International European Forum on System Dynamics and Innovation in Food Networks.
    9. Robbins, J.A. & Franks, B. & Weary, D.M. & von Keyserlingk, M.A.G., 2016. "Awareness of ag-gag laws erodes trust in farmers and increases support for animal welfare regulations," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 121-125.
    10. Uwe Latacz‐Lohmann & Julia Anette Schreiner, 2019. "Assessing Consumer and Producer Preferences for Animal Welfare Using a Common Elicitation Format," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 70(2), pages 293-315, June.
    11. von Hardenberg, Louisa & Heise, Heinke, 2018. "German Pig Farmers’ Attitudes towards Animal Welfare Programs and their Willingness to Participate in these Programs: An Empirical Study," International Journal on Food System Dynamics, International Center for Management, Communication, and Research, vol. 9(3), June.
    12. Carl Johan Lagerkvist & Sebastian Hess, 2011. "A meta-analysis of consumer willingness to pay for farm animal welfare," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 38(1), pages 55-78, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Camelia Teodorescu & Marin Burcea & Ana-Irina Lequeux-Dincă & Florentina-Cristina Merciu & Adrian-Nicolae Jipa & Laurenţiu-Ştefan Szemkovics, 2023. "Swine Breeding in the Villages of Vâlcea County, Oltenia (Romania)—Tradition or Necessity?," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-31, March.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. von Hardenberg, Louisa & Heise, Heinke, 2018. "German Pig Farmers’ Attitudes towards Animal Welfare Programs and their Willingness to Participate in these Programs: An Empirical Study," International Journal on Food System Dynamics, International Center for Management, Communication, and Research, vol. 9(3), June.
    2. Von Hardenberg, Louisa & Heise, Heinke, 2018. "German Pig Farmers’ Attitudes Towards Farm Animal Welfare And Their Willingness To Participate In Animal Welfare Programs: An Empirical Study," 2018 International European Forum (163rd EAAE Seminar), February 5-9, 2018, Innsbruck-Igls, Austria 276867, International European Forum on System Dynamics and Innovation in Food Networks.
    3. Pirsich, Wiebke & von Hardenberg, Louisa Marie & Theuvsen, Ludwig, 2017. "The Pet Food Industry: An innovative Distribution Channel for Marketing Feed Products from Welfare Friendly Production to Consumers?," International Journal on Food System Dynamics, International Center for Management, Communication, and Research, vol. 8(3), August.
    4. Pirsich, Wiebke & Theuvsen, Ludwig, 2017. "The Pet Food Industry: An Innovative Distribution Channel for Animal Welfare Meat?," 2018 International European Forum (163rd EAAE Seminar), February 5-9, 2018, Innsbruck-Igls, Austria 276914, International European Forum on System Dynamics and Innovation in Food Networks.
    5. Schröter, Iris & Mergenthaler, Marcus, 2020. "Bewertung betrieblicher Maßnahmen für eine tierwohlorientierte landwirtschaftliche Tierhaltung der Zukunft durch Landwirt:innen in Deutschland unter Berücksichtigung von Persönlichkeitsmerkmalen," 60th Annual Conference, Halle/ Saale, Germany, September 23-25, 2020 305594, German Association of Agricultural Economists (GEWISOLA).
    6. Pirsich, Wiebke & Theuvsen, Ludwig, 2017. "The Pet Food Industry: An Innovative Distribution Channel for Animal Welfare Meat?," International Journal on Food System Dynamics, International Center for Management, Communication, and Research, vol. 2017(1), June.
    7. Schröter, Iris & Mergenthaler, Marcus, 2020. "Bewertung betrieblicher Maßnahmen für eine tierwohlorientierte landwirtschaftliche Tierhaltung der Zukunft durch Landwirt:innen in Deutschland unter Berücksichtigung von Persönlichkeitsmerkmalen," 60th Annual Conference, Halle/ Saale, Germany, September 23-25, 2020 305594, German Association of Agricultural Economists (GEWISOLA).
    8. Schreiner, J.A., 2018. "Assessing consumer and producer preferences for animal welfare using a common elicitation format," 2018 Conference, July 28-August 2, 2018, Vancouver, British Columbia 277467, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    9. Läpple, Doris & Osawe, Osayanmon Wellington, 2022. "Animal Welfare, Altruism and Policy Support," 96th Annual Conference, April 4-6, 2022, K U Leuven, Belgium 321212, Agricultural Economics Society - AES.
    10. Ramona Weinrich & Annabell Franz & Achim Spiller, 2016. "Multi-level labelling: too complex for consumers?," Economia agro-alimentare, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 18(2), pages 155-172.
    11. Van Loo, Ellen J. & Caputo, Vincenzina & Nayga, Rodolfo M. & Verbeke, Wim, 2014. "Consumers’ valuation of sustainability labels on meat," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(P1), pages 137-150.
    12. Faical Akaichi & Klaus Glenk & Cesar Revoredo‐Giha, 2022. "Bundling food labels: What role could the labels “Organic,” “Local” and “Low Fat” play in fostering the demand for animal‐friendly meat," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 38(2), pages 349-370, April.
    13. Ali Eldesouky & Francisco J. Mesias & Miguel Escribano, 2020. "Consumer Assessment of Sustainability Traits in Meat Production. A Choice Experiment Study in Spain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-16, May.
    14. Kevin Kress & Sam Millet & Étienne Labussière & Ulrike Weiler & Volker Stefanski, 2019. "Sustainability of Pork Production with Immunocastration in Europe," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-20, June.
    15. Schröter, Iris & Mergenthaler, Marcus, 2021. "Applying the HEXACO Model of Personality to German Livestock Farmers: Item Scale Validation, Personality Structure and Influence on Participation in Livestock Certification Schemes," International Journal on Food System Dynamics, International Center for Management, Communication, and Research, vol. 12(03), September.
    16. Jeanette Klink-Lehmann & Nina Langen & Johannes Simons & Monika Hartmann, 2022. "Jumping on the Bandwagon of Responsibility—Or Not? Consumers’ Perceived Role in the Meat Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-21, May.
    17. Pirsich, Wiebke & Theuvsen, Ludwig, 2016. "Eine Empirische Analyse Zur Bedeutung Von Verbrauchereinstellungen Für Die Wahl Der Betriebsform ‚Fleischerfachgeschäft‘," 56th Annual Conference, Bonn, Germany, September 28-30, 2016 244885, German Association of Agricultural Economists (GEWISOLA).
    18. Ching-Hua Yeh & Monika Hartmann, 2021. "To Purchase or Not to Purchase? Drivers of Consumers’ Preferences for Animal Welfare in Their Meat Choice," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-25, August.
    19. Herrmann, R. & Bissinger, K. & Krandick, L., 2018. "Implicit Prices of Sustainability Characteristics in Foods: the Case of the German Online Market for Honey," 2018 Conference, July 28-August 2, 2018, Vancouver, British Columbia 277079, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    20. Herrmann, Roland & Bissinger, Katharina & Krandick, Lisa, 2018. "Price Premia for Sustainability Characteristics in Foods: Measurement Matters!," 2018 International European Forum (163rd EAAE Seminar), February 5-9, 2018, Innsbruck-Igls, Austria 276855, International European Forum on System Dynamics and Innovation in Food Networks.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:10:y:2020:i:12:p:609-:d:458549. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.