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Abstract

Despite frequent criticism, only few animal welfare attempts have been made towards an increase in terms of a dominant animal solution. Since farmers’ willingness-to-engage in animal welfare attempts is crucial, this study investigates farmers’ willingness-to-participate in an animal welfare program, which comprises a mandatory set of animal welfare measures. Data from a survey among members of a Northern German pig farmer cooperative has been used. With Theory of Planned Behavior as a theoretical framework a particularly analyze how single animal welfare measures influence farmers’ willingness-to-participate has been run. Three groups of farmers are identified, namely, the “refusing” the “undecided” and the “acquiescing”. The multinomial logit regression shows that while the refusing group is significantly more negative than the undecided about at least three of the eight required measures, the acquiescing group does not significantly differ from the undecided with respect to evaluation of measures. Rather, they exhibit a tendency to be more proactive, while the undecided feel more like being victims of societal pressure. The article concludes that it will be crucial to work on farmers’ beliefs, with respect to feasibility as well as with respect to perceived locus of control.

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