A national survey was conducted as part of an on-going study designed to compare societal attitudes towards controversial animal agriculture issues. The objectives of this survey are to: (1) develop a typology of attitudes toward farm animal agriculture, (2) determine and prioritize the major concerns diverse interest groups have regarding animal agriculture, and (3) identify demographic variables affecting attitudes and perceptions of farm animal well-being. To achieve these objectives three hundred respondents were surveyed from each of the following interest groups: County Extension Agents (CEA), Livestock Producers (LP), Animal Activists (AA), and the General Public (GP). These particular interest groups were selected because they represent individuals who are responsive toward or influential in addressing controversial animal agriculture issues. A mailed survey questionnaire was used to measure attitudes within and across the interest groups. Response rates to the survey were: CEA 74%, LP 57%, AA 55% and GP 52% with an overall response rate across groups of 60%. Responses to survey questions have been recorded and information is currently being analyzed to reveal individual group and overall respondent attitudes toward: (1) farm animals, (2) confinement animal agriculture, (3) production practices used in animal agriculture and (4) proposed legislation concerning animal agriculture. This latter aspect, attitude toward proposed legislation, has been analyzed and will constitute the focus of this presentation.

Three proposed farm animal legislative items were surveyed: (1) the Veal Bill, which states veal calves be given adequate room to turn around and be fed diets balanced for mineral and fiber content; (2) the Humane Methods of Poultry Slaughter Act, which states that poultry be stunned before slaughter; and (3) the Downed Animal Protection Act, which requires the humane euthanasia of downed animal in the marketing chain. A five-point Likert-type rating scale was used to measure respondents attitudes as: strongly support (SS), support (S), neutral (N), oppose (O), and strongly oppose (SO). An overall attitude of SS to N was exhibited for the combined legislative items from all respondents regardless of group; however, strength of attitudes toward each specific item of legislation varied among individual interest groups. The AA were the most supportive group toward the proposed legislation with 94% for the Poultry Slaughter Act and 93% for the Downed Animal Act. The CEA and LP were similar in their attitudes but less supportive of the legislation than the AA or GP groups. CEA and LP group respondents exhibited combined SS or S attitude responses of 53% for the Veal Bill, 25% for the Poultry Slaughter Act and 48% for the Downed Animal Act. The Poultry Slaughter act was viewed as more neutral by the CEA and LP groups with 44% of combined group respondents exhibiting a neutral attitude. The GP differed in their strength of support from AA, CEA and LP groups on all legislative items with 74% of respondents exhibiting SS or S attitudes for the Veal Bill, 50% for the Poultry Slaughter Act and 64% for the Downed Animal Act. Examining combined group responses toward proposed legislative items revealed the Veal Bill as the most highly supported of the three items of legislation with 67% of respondents exhibiting attitudes of SS or S. The Downed Animal Act was intermediate in support with 62% of combined respondents exhibiting attitudes of SS or S. The Poultry Slaughter was the least supported piece of legislation with 46% of combined respondents exhibiting attitudes of SS or S. The Poultry Slaughter Act was viewed more neutrally with 31% of respondents exhibiting and attitude of N. This study shows varying levels of support for proposed legislation within individual interest groups; however, combining responses across groups revealed support for all legislations.