In 2016, second-generation genetically modified (GM) potatoes were approved for production and sale in Canada. In this study, we analyze how consumer acceptance of GM potatoes may be affected by various factors, including the trait introduced (i.e., the product benefits), the type of breeding technology used, and the developer of the potato using any technology. We conduct an online survey and use a stated choice experiment to collect data on consumer acceptance of GM and other potatoes in Canada. Random utility models are used to analyze the economic value consumers place on the various attributes of the potatoes. Our results show that consumers are willing to pay more for a health attribute (reduced acrylamide produced when potatoes are fried) and an environmental attribute. Respondents in general need to face discounted prices to buy potatoes created by either gene editing or GM (either transgenic or cisgenic/intragenic) technologies. However, consumers are in general more accepting of the gene editing technology than the GM technologies. Our results also show that government is the most preferred developer of the potatoes, regardless of technology. Results from this study can help guide public and private management of the introduction of new foods when the products are developed with unpopular technologies.

The objective of this study was to determine the extent to which households use livestock sales to mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS income shocks. Using survey data from the Muzarabani and Bindura districts of Mashonaland Central Province in Zimbabwe, the econometric analysis indicated that livestock, particularly poultry and small stock, play a significant role in smoothing income fluctuations due to HIV/AIDS. Cattle sales compensate for 71 per cent of income shortfalls due to HIV/AIDS. About 90 per cent of HIV/AIDS-afflicted households, headed mainly by women or children, used poultry and goats as consumption-smoothing strategies when faced with negative income shocks. Government and other stakeholders were advised to support the use of small stock as a strategy for coping with HIV/AIDS economic shock in female- or child-headed households in rural areas.

Using survey data from Canada, the United States, and Japan, we assess the relationship between both generalized trust in people and agent‐specific trust regarding food safety and consumer perceptions about bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and chronic wasting disease (CWD). We find evidence that generalized trust in people is negatively related to consumers’ risk perceptions about BSE and CWD mainly in Canada. Trust measures for specific agents who might affect food safety risk also have mixed effects on consumers’ risk perceptions across the regions surveyed and between the two diseases. Monitoring public’s generalized trust in people and trust in food agents could generally assist in the short‐term estimates of the impact of future animal disease incidents on consumption of meat products. [EconLit citation: D120, Q130, I190].

Food integrity and food technologies both generate public concerns. There is little research to show the interactions between those concerns in particular samples, especially in Canada. In this paper, data from two national online samples are used to examine an aggregate of food integrity concerns, genetic modification in food, and food nanotechnology concerns in the Canadian public. A variety of trust, health, environmental, and science attitude variables are used to help explain the concerns that vary across the population. In addition, the food integrity concerns are tested as explanatory variables in the technology concern models to establish whether there is a strong or weak link between the two. Tobit and ordered probit regressions are used to model the variables for each of the survey samples. Results are examined to see if they are consistent across surveys and also consistent with an earlier study that was done in Australia. The results suggest that trust in people and trust in a variety of agents within the food system are beliefs that ameliorate concerns about food integrity and the two technologies. However, trust in advocacy organizations appears to be related to higher concerns in each case. Fundamentally and similar to the earlier Australian study, positive scientific attitudes are a major determinant of reduced concerns about food integrity and the two technologies.

This study provides an assessment of the perceived relative risk of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in the context of other aspects of livestock production and human health issues. The factors influencing consumers' concerns regarding these issues are identified. Consumers' risk perceptions and risk attitudes about beef and poultry and the factors that influenced any reduction in beef consumption due to food safety issues or BSE are analyzed. General population internet-based survey were used to collect data in Japan (2009) and Canada (2006, 2009). BSE remains the highest ranking livestock production concern in Japan, in 2009, 9 years after the first animal with BSE was found in Japan. In Canada (2009), 6 years after the first domestic animal was found to have BSE, BSE ranked 7 out of 8 in possible livestock production concerns. Respondents in both countries who are older and female have a higher probability of being concerned about all livestock production issues. Higher levels of education in Canada are associated with a lower probability of ranking BSE as a high risk issue, while in Japan the opposite occurs. Canadian respondents have higher risk perceptions about poultry than beef and are more willing to accept the risks of eating beef than poultry (higher risk attitudes) than Japanese respondents. Together with some of the demographic variables, risk attitudes and risk perceptions have significantly influenced reductions in beef consumption due to food safety issues over the past 4 years and since consumers first heard about BSE.