OTA.COM 27 20% 36% 44% 38% 19% 43% 29% 19% 52% 42% 17% 41% 42% 42% 16% respondents were at least somewhat concerned about the use of chemicals and GMOs in farming. They also expressed significant concerns about the treatment of agricultural labor and animal welfare. More than 60% of those surveyed believe organic agriculture addresses many of these concerns, with majorities indicating that they believe organic products are healthier, have fewer pesticides and fewer GMOs than conventional products. They also believe organic products support small farms and are better for animal welfare. There is widespread confusion about what it means to be organic. However, people are not very familiar with organic agriculture or NOP. Only one in four Americans (25%) say they are very familiar with NOP, and most are not sure what is and is not part of the NOP standards. For example, 42% of Americans do not know NOP requires crops to be grown with organic seed (and 16% do not think it is part of the standard at all). Consumers are using labels to make purchases—even when they are not verified in any way. The lack of understanding of NOP is allowing opportunities for other labels to become prominent, even if those labels lack clear definitions or verification. When we asked consumers about labels that may compete with the USDA Organic seal, and how likely those labels were to influence purchasing decisions, labels like “all natural” were very influential, as were “raised without antibiotics,” “hormonefree,” and non-GMO. Trust in Organic is being held back by a lack of familiarity. These results suggest that while organic is generally seen as positive, that positive feeling is not backed by real familiarity of what organic stands for and why consumers should trust the organic label. When asked whether they trusted the KNOWLEDGE ABOUT USDA ORGANIC STANDARDS—US GEN POP (Shown & Selected Response) Is a standard Is not a standard Don’t know The use of artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives are prohibited in packaged foods Organic products are handled separately from non-organic products 47% 14% 40% Livestock and poultry have access to the outdoors year-round Hydroponic production methods are not allowed in organic Livestock are fed feed that is 100% organic 38% 48% 14% The use of GMOs/genetic engineering is prohibited Grown using organic seeds organic seal, more than a quarter of U.S. respondents (28%) were neutral about the seal, and another 5% answered they did not know. However, we did find a particular group of people who have a high degree of trust in organic. Roughly one in four individuals surveyed (28%) love food, share knowledge about food with others, and are more likely to take concrete actions when they learn information about a food or beverage brand. We call this group the “Food Forwards.” Food Forwards are important not only because they are interested in food themselves, but because they influence others. They report that family and friends seek their advice on food, they share food information on social media and other channels, and they are more likely to support or boycott companies—and encourage others to do the same—based on what they learn about specific brands. Food Forwards were also twice as likely as the general population to be familiar with organic agriculture, and 79% of Food Forwards said they trusted organic, with 48% of them tending to buy organic products, significantly more than the general population. The Food Forwards show us that those who know organic, like organic and
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