Florida consumer survey

I noticed reference to a consumer survey in a recent email newsletter from the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association, and I requested more info on it from the Florida Department of Agriculture. The survey, called the Promotions Campaign Survey, was conducted in April this year.
No big surprises here, perhaps, except to note that responses seem to vary widely based income and ethnic group. The food budget is a bigger concern this year than a year ago, and four out of five viewed Florida's ag products as safe compared with imports. The summary of the survey is published below.

Summary

While the percentages are only around 25%, a significant number seeks out Florida grown products as well as locally grown products when they shop. Florida residents are concerned about a safe and stable food supply.

A large number are more concerned today than they were a year ago about the family food budget reflecting the economic downturn nationally. Florida residents feel products grown in the State are safe when compared to imported products.

Television and newspapers are the two primary sources of information for news. Respondents generally felt Florida farmers were concerned about their impact on the environment. There was strong support for allowing legal workers from other countries to work as temporary farm employees.

Just under 30% were aware of the phrase, “Safe, affordable and abundant: Food for thought from Florida’s farmers.” A majority feels Florida farmers should produce crops that can be used as sources for alternative fuels, such as bio-diesel, bio-gas and ethanol.

Highlights

24% say they always look for food produced in Florida when they shop. This is significantly higher among Hispanics and in the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area. Another 36% say sometimes and that is well above the norm among African-Americans and those earning $40,000-$50,000 a year. 18% say seldom and 19% never.

A significant number are concerned about a stable food supply. Using a mean average scale of 1 to 5 with a 1 most concerned, the average was 2.3. This was most important to those earning $50,000-$75,000 a year.

Again using the 1 to 5 scale, the mean average was 1.9 when asked how concerned they were about a safe food supply. Women were more concerned than men.

69% are more concerned about their family’s food budget than they were a year ago. This was above the norm among African-Americans, 45-54 year olds and those earning $50,000-$75,000 a year. Only 12% said less and 19% about the same.

81% feel agricultural products grown in Florida are safe compared to imported products. Only 5% said they were somewhat unsafe compared to imported products. 23% of African-Americans felt they were unsafe.

31% say extremely and 42% very when asked how important university research is to the farmers who produce food and fiber in Florida. When 73% combined give these responses, it reflects a very high percentage that considers it important.

50% receive their news and information from television. This is higher than the norm among respondents in Jacksonville and African-Americans and below the norm among Hispanics. 27% say newspapers and this rises in importance among 65+ respondents, those earning $20,000-$30,000 and $50,000-$75,000 a year. It is also higher in West Palm/Ft. Pierce and Ft. Myers/Naples. 8% said the Internet but is twice as high among 18-34 year olds and families with two or more children in the household.

32% were not sure if Florida farming operations were hi-tech or low-tech. Women, families with 2+ children and those in the Ft. Myers/Naples area were the groups most unsure. 39% said hi-tech and this rose significantly among those earning over $100,000 a year and in West Palm/Ft. Pierce. 25% said low-tech and 4% no-tech.

36% believe Florida farmers are very concerned about their impact on the environment. This is well above the norm among respondents who were separated, widowed or divorced and in the Tampa Bay/St. Pete area. 48% say they are somewhat concerned and this rose among 35-44 year olds, Hispanics, singles and men. 7% said they weren’t concerned at all and 8% weren’t sure.

25% said it is extremely important that Florida farmers be able to employ temporary, legal workers from other countries to produce food. This rose well above the norm among 18-34 year olds, Hispanics and those with two or more children in their household. 34% said it was very important and this rose in importance among 55-64 year olds and respondents earning $50,000 or more a year. 23% said it was somewhat important and 12% said it was not important.

29% recall seeing or hearing the phrase, “Safe, affordable and abundant: Food for thought from Florida’s farmers.” Only among those earning $75,000-$100,000 do we see in increase from the norm. 69% said they had not and 3% weren’t sure.

26% said they always make an effort to seek out locally grown food products. This is higher among those earning under $20,000 a year and in the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area. 57% said sometimes and 15% never.

93% consider agriculture to be important to Florida’s economy and another 93% believe the United States should be able to produce enough food domestically to feed its citizens.

31% said it was extremely important and 30% very important for Florida farmers to produce crops that can be used as sources for alternative fuels, such as bio-diesel, bio-gas and ethanol. When you combine extremely and very together, it reflects 61% was say it is important. Another 22% said somewhat important and only 12% not important. 45-54 year olds, Hispanics, African-Americans and those in West Palm Beach/Ft. Pierce felt it was most important.