Livestock farming in the U.S. is getting a lot of attention because people worry about its effects on animals, the environment, and overall sustainability. One modern farming practice that is becoming popular is called precision livestock farming (PLF). This technology helps farmers take better care of their animals. However, for PLF to be accepted by the public, people need to trust it.
Public trust is essential for PLF to succeed. This trust is known as a social license to operate—a kind of “green light” from society that says, “We trust you to do this responsibly.” If people don’t trust technology, it won’t lead to meaningful changes in animal farming.
Today, people’s views on farming practices are shaped by concerns like animal welfare, antibiotic use and pollution from livestock farms. Social media plays a significant role in spreading these opinions, where users share their thoughts and information. Sometimes, strong feelings can have a more substantial impact than facts. When emotions are involved, it’s hard to change people’s opinions. This is why public support for new ideas like PLF depends on the agriculture industry engaging in open conversations, sharing clear information and showing ethical practices that align with public expectations before negative emotions take over.
Evolving Public Perceptions: Key trends in PLF attitudes
We surveyed 345 Americans about their feelings toward PLF in pig farming. We did our first survey in 2022 and followed up in 2024 with the same group. Our results showed that more people had a favorable view of PLF over time, especially its benefits for farmers, pigs and production costs. By 2024, more people believed that PLF could improve pigs’ welfare (up 17%), lower production costs (up 16%), and help farmers (up 15%) compared to 2022. However, there was also an increase (up 8%) in people who thought PLF could separate farmers from pigs. This shows that while more people see the benefits of PLF, there are still some concerns.
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