Iowa grocery shoppers place a great deal of trust in Iowa farmers, and large majorities are confident that Iowa farmers take care of their animals and the environment responsibly, according to the latest Iowa Farm Bureau Food and Farm Index®.

The latest survey of more than 500 Iowa grocery shoppers shows nearly nine in 10 (87 percent) are confident Iowa farmers are caring for their animals responsibly, with one-third (33 percent) saying they are very confident.

“This is encouraging news for farmers who look for ways to improve the environments and efficiencies of livestock in their care,” said Craig Hill, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) president. “There are so many ways that farmers raise animals today, and this survey also shows consumers want and expect that flexibility to bring them more choices and nutritional options at the grocery store.”

Hill noted that 84 percent of Iowans say it is important that farmers have the flexibility to use a variety of farming practices to provide them with different choices and price options at the grocery store and more than one-quarter (27 percent) say that farmer flexibility is very important to them.

IFBF, together with the Iowa Pork Producers Association, in cooperation with the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine and College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, operates Iowa Farm Animal Care or IFAC. The unique coalition, which can be reached at www.iowafarmanimalcare.org/, works to provide voluntary independent professional evaluations, increase awareness of how Iowans care for their animals and provide additional information and resources about the latest in animal care.

More than three-quarters (77 percent) of the Iowans surveyed in the Farm Bureau Food and Farm Index also said they are confident Iowa farmers are caring for the environment responsibly.

Nearly seven in 10 (68 percent) of those surveyed say they are confident that Iowa farmers are taking on the challenge of improving water quality and say they would like to learn more about those efforts.

“Progress is happening, and this survey underscores the importance of sharing that information,” Hill said. 

The recent Iowa Farm Bureau Food and Farm Index was conducted online by Harris Poll on behalf of the IFBF among 507 adults aged 20-60 residing in Iowa who have primary or shared responsibility for household grocery shopping.