The COVID-19 pandemic caused many scientific conferences to move online, posing a great challenge... more The COVID-19 pandemic caused many scientific conferences to move online, posing a great challenge for scientific communication. This change offers potential advantages and disadvantages for inclusion, diversity, and scientific advancement. Here, we analyse participants’ experiences of the Why Study Mammographic Density? Conference to explore some of these issues and identify key points of contention between different stakeholders. We found that while increasing participant diversity is facilitated by online conferencing, if the participants cannot interact informally with each other, there is value which is lost. In returning to in-person conferences, it will be important not to “shut the door” on those whose participation was enabled by the online format.
People are becoming increasingly concerned with how their food is produced, particularly with the... more People are becoming increasingly concerned with how their food is produced, particularly with the rise of “big ag”. The growth of movements such as the Slow Food Movement, along with the increasing popularity of farmer’s markets, are all attributed to alleviating such concerns. The increased availability and sales of animal products with welfare claims have been linked to concerns about animal welfare. Though focus groups and interviews, we explored the attitudes of sixty-six meat consumers in Australia towards the concept of farm animal welfare. Participants of our research seem almost convinced that if an animal is, what they believe to be as, poorly treated - whether on farm, during transport or slaughter – an ‘essence’ remains within the meat and can have an impact on the consumer. Such essence may be from the un-natural feeding of grain to livestock, to the particular practice of slaughter. However, it is becoming increasingly apparent that attitudes towards what constitutes as “good” animal welfare differ greatly across the meat value chain. Without the consideration of such differing attitudes and dialogue between stakeholder groups, such as producers and consumers, conflict between attitudes will remain, if not extrapolate with potentially dire consequences for meat producers and processors.Emily Buddle, Heather Bray, Rachel Anken
Although humans have been manipulating plants and animals used in agriculture for thousands of ye... more Although humans have been manipulating plants and animals used in agriculture for thousands of years, there are differing views on whether it is morally or ethically acceptable to produce, use, or consume genetically modified (GM) organisms particularly in the context of food products. In this chapter, the development of GM foods is placed within the historical context of food manipulation and commercialization, along with a discussion of the key ethical debates associated with both GM foods and the broader food production system of which they are a part. The chapter concludes with a call for more deliberation and dialogue in the development of food policy.
The use of social media by animal activist organisations is of interest to those in the livestock... more The use of social media by animal activist organisations is of interest to those in the livestock production industries because of the perceived increased use and effectiveness of this medium for influencing consumers. Using qualitative data derived from focus groups and interviews, we explore how Australian meat consumers interact with animal welfare activism content posted to social media, either by activist organisations or members of the participants' networks. Results indicate that meat consumers dismiss online animal welfare activism due to a perceived lack of credibility and being associated with a vegetarian or vegan 'agenda'. Activists also were considered by participants to be 'ignorant', with participants suggesting they needed to experience animal farming first hand. Online activism was described as 'slacktivism' by our research participants, who felt that sharing something online does not create actual change in the real world and hence is not an authentic or meaningful form of activism. While farm animal welfare is of increasing concern to Australian consumers, this research suggests that information generated by activist organisations and shared via social media is unlikely to change meat eaters' perceptions, at least in the current form in which it is being provided.
Cities across the world are facing increasing challenges from the impacts of urbanisation, pollut... more Cities across the world are facing increasing challenges from the impacts of urbanisation, pollution and climate change. Green spaces and urban vegetation are at ongoing risk of destruction or removal. New residential developments rarely plan for or provide gardens. Nonetheless, the need to maintain urban green spaces is more important than ever. This paper discusses the role of community gardens and whether or not they have a role to play in enhancing community resilience to issues such as climate change. Using a case study of Adelaide, we present the results of a study on community gardens, concluding that they do offer the possibility of building community resilience and social cohesion as well as urban green space.
Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics, 2019
Topics related to ethical issues in agricultural production, particularly farm animal welfare, ar... more Topics related to ethical issues in agricultural production, particularly farm animal welfare, are increasingly featured in mainstream news media. Media representations of farm animal welfare issues are important because the media is a significant source of information, but also because the way that the issues are represented, or framed, defines these issues in particular ways, suggests causes or solutions, and provides moral evaluations. As such, analysis of media frames can reveal how issues are being made public and identify the cues that audiences are given to help them make sense of complex ethical issues. Previous research on media frames and animal welfare has tended to focus on single issues or events; however we sought to identify whether media frames extended across different farm animal welfare-related issues to investigate whether there is any commonality between issues. We analysed articles published in the mainstream press in Australia between 2014 and 2016 related to farm animal welfare, and identified two dominant frames: that governments and the farm animal production industries cannot be trusted to ensure good farm animal welfare; and that consumers can act to improve animal welfare through ethical consumption. These frames have implications for how the Australian public interpret and understand the roles and responsibilities of different actors in the food production system. This research also contributes to discussion about the role of the media in shaping public opinion about ethical issues in agriculture and how, in turn, the media landscape itself is being shaped by consumer attitudes.
Concern for livestock welfare is significantly increasing in many parts of the world. One area of... more Concern for livestock welfare is significantly increasing in many parts of the world. One area of concern is the transportation of livestock. Using qualitative research methods, this research explores the concerns of Australian meat consumers related to livestock transportation practices, both on land by truck and on sea by ship. Participants were predominantly concerned about animals being “crammed” into trucks and ships, and the long distances over which livestock were transported. Likely contributors to these reactions are the high visibility of truck transport in urban areas, and recent media and political attention to the live-export issue in Australia. We argue that participants’ concerns about transport are arising for a variety of reasons, including anthropomorphic tendencies, genuine concern for the welfare of farm animals, and emotional responses related to the discomfort experienced by meat consumers when they are reminded of the meat-animal connection. Given the importan...
Insects have long been consumed as part of the diets of many Asian, African, and South American c... more Insects have long been consumed as part of the diets of many Asian, African, and South American cultures. However, despite international agencies such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations advocating the nutritional, environmental, and economic benefits of entomophagy, attitudinal barriers persist in Western societies. In Australia, the indigenous 'bush tucker' diet comprising witchetty grubs, honey ants, and Bogong moths is quite well known; however, in most Australian locales, the consumption of insects tends to occur only as a novelty. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the awareness and acceptance of insects as food. An online survey of 820 consumers found that 68% of participants had heard of entomophagy, but only 21% had previously eaten insects; witchetty grubs, ants, grasshoppers, and crickets were the most commonly tasted insects. Taste, appearance, safety, and quality were identified as the factors that were most likely to influence consumer willingness to try eating insects, but consumer attitudes towards entomophagy were underpinned by both food neophobia (i.e., reluctance to eat new or novel foods) and prior consumption of insects. Neophobic consumers were far less accepting of entomophagy than neophilic consumers, while consumers who had previously eaten insects were most accepting of insects as food. Incorporating insects into familiar products (e.g., biscuits) or cooked meals also improved their appeal. Collectively, these findings can be used by the food industry to devise production and/or marketing strategies that overcome barriers to insect consumption in Australia.
Meat eating is a common behaviour, despite many people claiming to like, love, and care about ani... more Meat eating is a common behaviour, despite many people claiming to like, love, and care about animals. The apparent disconnection between not wanting animals to suffer, yet killing them for food, has been termed the 'meat paradox.' In this experimental study (N = 460), participants completed pre-affect, post-affect, meat attachment, and attitude towards animals questionnaires, under two conditions: exposure to the life of an Australian meat lamb, and information about the nutritional benefits of meat. A factorial MANOVA revealed that negative affect was significantly greater when participants were exposed to the meat-animal connection; however, more entrenched attitudes towards animals and attachment to meat remained unaffected. Significant gender effects were found across all variables: most notably, meat attachment differed according to gender, decreasing in women and increasing in men when exposed to the meat-animal condition. Open-ended responses were subjected to conten...
Although Australians on average consume large quantities of meat, their attitudes to farm animal ... more Although Australians on average consume large quantities of meat, their attitudes to farm animal welfare are poorly understood. We know little about how farm animal production is discussed in Australian households or how children learn about the origins of meat. This study consisted of an online survey completed by 225 primary carers throughout Australia recruited through social media. Findings include that conversations about the origin of meat were generally stimulated by meal preparation within the home rather than visits to agricultural shows or similar activities. Parents preferred to initiate conversations with children about meat production before they were 5 years of age. Urban parents were more likely than rural parents to reveal that they were conflicted about eating meat and would be more empathetic to children who chose to stop eating meat. Rural parents were more likely than urban parents to feel that children should eat what they are given and that talking about meat is not a major issue. Both groups felt that it was important that children should know where their food comes from. The findings of this study suggest that parental attitudes to meat production and consumption influence conversations about meat origins with children.
Bray, H., Keenihan, S., Hutson, J. and Alford, K. (2015). An Online Community of Practice Around ... more Bray, H., Keenihan, S., Hutson, J. and Alford, K. (2015). An Online Community of Practice Around Science Communication: #onsci. In: N. Longnecker, C. Harris & K. Madden (Eds.), Proceedings of the Australian Science Communicators National Conference. 2–5 Feb, 2014, Brisbane. www.asc.asn.au/publications/ pp9-21
The COVID-19 pandemic caused many scientific conferences to move online, posing a great challenge... more The COVID-19 pandemic caused many scientific conferences to move online, posing a great challenge for scientific communication. This change offers potential advantages and disadvantages for inclusion, diversity, and scientific advancement. Here, we analyse participants’ experiences of the Why Study Mammographic Density? Conference to explore some of these issues and identify key points of contention between different stakeholders. We found that while increasing participant diversity is facilitated by online conferencing, if the participants cannot interact informally with each other, there is value which is lost. In returning to in-person conferences, it will be important not to “shut the door” on those whose participation was enabled by the online format.
People are becoming increasingly concerned with how their food is produced, particularly with the... more People are becoming increasingly concerned with how their food is produced, particularly with the rise of “big ag”. The growth of movements such as the Slow Food Movement, along with the increasing popularity of farmer’s markets, are all attributed to alleviating such concerns. The increased availability and sales of animal products with welfare claims have been linked to concerns about animal welfare. Though focus groups and interviews, we explored the attitudes of sixty-six meat consumers in Australia towards the concept of farm animal welfare. Participants of our research seem almost convinced that if an animal is, what they believe to be as, poorly treated - whether on farm, during transport or slaughter – an ‘essence’ remains within the meat and can have an impact on the consumer. Such essence may be from the un-natural feeding of grain to livestock, to the particular practice of slaughter. However, it is becoming increasingly apparent that attitudes towards what constitutes as “good” animal welfare differ greatly across the meat value chain. Without the consideration of such differing attitudes and dialogue between stakeholder groups, such as producers and consumers, conflict between attitudes will remain, if not extrapolate with potentially dire consequences for meat producers and processors.Emily Buddle, Heather Bray, Rachel Anken
Although humans have been manipulating plants and animals used in agriculture for thousands of ye... more Although humans have been manipulating plants and animals used in agriculture for thousands of years, there are differing views on whether it is morally or ethically acceptable to produce, use, or consume genetically modified (GM) organisms particularly in the context of food products. In this chapter, the development of GM foods is placed within the historical context of food manipulation and commercialization, along with a discussion of the key ethical debates associated with both GM foods and the broader food production system of which they are a part. The chapter concludes with a call for more deliberation and dialogue in the development of food policy.
The use of social media by animal activist organisations is of interest to those in the livestock... more The use of social media by animal activist organisations is of interest to those in the livestock production industries because of the perceived increased use and effectiveness of this medium for influencing consumers. Using qualitative data derived from focus groups and interviews, we explore how Australian meat consumers interact with animal welfare activism content posted to social media, either by activist organisations or members of the participants' networks. Results indicate that meat consumers dismiss online animal welfare activism due to a perceived lack of credibility and being associated with a vegetarian or vegan 'agenda'. Activists also were considered by participants to be 'ignorant', with participants suggesting they needed to experience animal farming first hand. Online activism was described as 'slacktivism' by our research participants, who felt that sharing something online does not create actual change in the real world and hence is not an authentic or meaningful form of activism. While farm animal welfare is of increasing concern to Australian consumers, this research suggests that information generated by activist organisations and shared via social media is unlikely to change meat eaters' perceptions, at least in the current form in which it is being provided.
Cities across the world are facing increasing challenges from the impacts of urbanisation, pollut... more Cities across the world are facing increasing challenges from the impacts of urbanisation, pollution and climate change. Green spaces and urban vegetation are at ongoing risk of destruction or removal. New residential developments rarely plan for or provide gardens. Nonetheless, the need to maintain urban green spaces is more important than ever. This paper discusses the role of community gardens and whether or not they have a role to play in enhancing community resilience to issues such as climate change. Using a case study of Adelaide, we present the results of a study on community gardens, concluding that they do offer the possibility of building community resilience and social cohesion as well as urban green space.
Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics, 2019
Topics related to ethical issues in agricultural production, particularly farm animal welfare, ar... more Topics related to ethical issues in agricultural production, particularly farm animal welfare, are increasingly featured in mainstream news media. Media representations of farm animal welfare issues are important because the media is a significant source of information, but also because the way that the issues are represented, or framed, defines these issues in particular ways, suggests causes or solutions, and provides moral evaluations. As such, analysis of media frames can reveal how issues are being made public and identify the cues that audiences are given to help them make sense of complex ethical issues. Previous research on media frames and animal welfare has tended to focus on single issues or events; however we sought to identify whether media frames extended across different farm animal welfare-related issues to investigate whether there is any commonality between issues. We analysed articles published in the mainstream press in Australia between 2014 and 2016 related to farm animal welfare, and identified two dominant frames: that governments and the farm animal production industries cannot be trusted to ensure good farm animal welfare; and that consumers can act to improve animal welfare through ethical consumption. These frames have implications for how the Australian public interpret and understand the roles and responsibilities of different actors in the food production system. This research also contributes to discussion about the role of the media in shaping public opinion about ethical issues in agriculture and how, in turn, the media landscape itself is being shaped by consumer attitudes.
Concern for livestock welfare is significantly increasing in many parts of the world. One area of... more Concern for livestock welfare is significantly increasing in many parts of the world. One area of concern is the transportation of livestock. Using qualitative research methods, this research explores the concerns of Australian meat consumers related to livestock transportation practices, both on land by truck and on sea by ship. Participants were predominantly concerned about animals being “crammed” into trucks and ships, and the long distances over which livestock were transported. Likely contributors to these reactions are the high visibility of truck transport in urban areas, and recent media and political attention to the live-export issue in Australia. We argue that participants’ concerns about transport are arising for a variety of reasons, including anthropomorphic tendencies, genuine concern for the welfare of farm animals, and emotional responses related to the discomfort experienced by meat consumers when they are reminded of the meat-animal connection. Given the importan...
Insects have long been consumed as part of the diets of many Asian, African, and South American c... more Insects have long been consumed as part of the diets of many Asian, African, and South American cultures. However, despite international agencies such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations advocating the nutritional, environmental, and economic benefits of entomophagy, attitudinal barriers persist in Western societies. In Australia, the indigenous 'bush tucker' diet comprising witchetty grubs, honey ants, and Bogong moths is quite well known; however, in most Australian locales, the consumption of insects tends to occur only as a novelty. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the awareness and acceptance of insects as food. An online survey of 820 consumers found that 68% of participants had heard of entomophagy, but only 21% had previously eaten insects; witchetty grubs, ants, grasshoppers, and crickets were the most commonly tasted insects. Taste, appearance, safety, and quality were identified as the factors that were most likely to influence consumer willingness to try eating insects, but consumer attitudes towards entomophagy were underpinned by both food neophobia (i.e., reluctance to eat new or novel foods) and prior consumption of insects. Neophobic consumers were far less accepting of entomophagy than neophilic consumers, while consumers who had previously eaten insects were most accepting of insects as food. Incorporating insects into familiar products (e.g., biscuits) or cooked meals also improved their appeal. Collectively, these findings can be used by the food industry to devise production and/or marketing strategies that overcome barriers to insect consumption in Australia.
Meat eating is a common behaviour, despite many people claiming to like, love, and care about ani... more Meat eating is a common behaviour, despite many people claiming to like, love, and care about animals. The apparent disconnection between not wanting animals to suffer, yet killing them for food, has been termed the 'meat paradox.' In this experimental study (N = 460), participants completed pre-affect, post-affect, meat attachment, and attitude towards animals questionnaires, under two conditions: exposure to the life of an Australian meat lamb, and information about the nutritional benefits of meat. A factorial MANOVA revealed that negative affect was significantly greater when participants were exposed to the meat-animal connection; however, more entrenched attitudes towards animals and attachment to meat remained unaffected. Significant gender effects were found across all variables: most notably, meat attachment differed according to gender, decreasing in women and increasing in men when exposed to the meat-animal condition. Open-ended responses were subjected to conten...
Although Australians on average consume large quantities of meat, their attitudes to farm animal ... more Although Australians on average consume large quantities of meat, their attitudes to farm animal welfare are poorly understood. We know little about how farm animal production is discussed in Australian households or how children learn about the origins of meat. This study consisted of an online survey completed by 225 primary carers throughout Australia recruited through social media. Findings include that conversations about the origin of meat were generally stimulated by meal preparation within the home rather than visits to agricultural shows or similar activities. Parents preferred to initiate conversations with children about meat production before they were 5 years of age. Urban parents were more likely than rural parents to reveal that they were conflicted about eating meat and would be more empathetic to children who chose to stop eating meat. Rural parents were more likely than urban parents to feel that children should eat what they are given and that talking about meat is not a major issue. Both groups felt that it was important that children should know where their food comes from. The findings of this study suggest that parental attitudes to meat production and consumption influence conversations about meat origins with children.
Bray, H., Keenihan, S., Hutson, J. and Alford, K. (2015). An Online Community of Practice Around ... more Bray, H., Keenihan, S., Hutson, J. and Alford, K. (2015). An Online Community of Practice Around Science Communication: #onsci. In: N. Longnecker, C. Harris & K. Madden (Eds.), Proceedings of the Australian Science Communicators National Conference. 2–5 Feb, 2014, Brisbane. www.asc.asn.au/publications/ pp9-21
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