Explaining the Research Data and Approach

The purpose of this study was to understand the differences between what consumers believe to be true and what farmers believe to be true when it comes to agriculture and then determine what our industry can and should do to help close that perception gap. The good news is that people are very interested in learning more about where their food comes from, how it is grown, and under what conditions, so these findings present opportunities for the industry to come together to close this gap through education and communication. The world is asking a lot of our farmers, and it's incumbent on all of us to support them to safely and sustainably feed the future – identifying these differences in perception is one step in our continuous mission to support farmers.

See methodology page.

We conducted a factor analysis across a series of statements (22 agreement-based perceptions) to understand the co-relation of various responses. We were able to measure consumer and farmer reactions to perceptions in agriculture, which led to an analysis to determine which of those factors have the largest impact on driving trust in the agriculture industry. The share of impact on the trust of the industry became the determining component in assigning a weight to the previously established factors.

We know how important trust is to the future of agriculture, our food system, and the planet. Fortunately, both farmers and consumers agree on the importance of environmental stewardship and advancements in agriculture. But the industry must overcome misperceptions and unite on a path forward. Nobody is more motivated to preserve farmland than farmers – and nobody is poised to benefit from those efforts more than consumers.