Abstract
Cattle production is a significant source of methane emissions, prompting interest in climate-smart (CS) technologies that aim to reduce emissions while improving productivity and climate resilience. However, most CS technologies are still emerging and remain underused, and CS-labeled beef is not yet available on the market, which limits our understanding of consumer demand for CS beef products. This study employs discrete choice experiments to assess consumer preferences for CS beef produced using various technologies. Participants were randomly exposed to CS production information via video or printed text. Mixed logit model results show that even without this information, consumers prefer beef produced using manure management or selective breeding over conventional beef. Providing production information raised valuations for these options by over 10%, while the impact was more modest (3%–5%) for beef produced using genetic engineering. No significant differences were observed between text and video information formats. Back-of-the-envelope estimates suggest that adoption of CS technologies in beef production reduces beef-related emissions by 25% to 35%. Additionally, an instrumental variables model suggests that OLS estimates may underestimate the effect of climate change beliefs on willingness to pay for CS beef. These findings indicate that providing production information and adopting CS labeling could play a critical role in promoting consumer demand for CS beef.
Presenters
Binod KhanalResearch Assistant Professor, College of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources, Prairie View A&M University, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Food Production and Sustainability
KEYWORDS
CLIMATE SMART, BEEF, METHANE EMISSIONS
