About the Survey

The Ohio Survey of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental issues is a biennial statewide mail survey that assess the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of Ohioans related to emerging -- and potentially contentious -- food, agricultural, and environmental issues. Topics explored with the survey have included Ohioans' views of agriculture's importance in Ohio; attitudes about the environment and land use; food safety concerns; attitudes and behaviors related to local and organic foods; attitudes about animal welfare; and concerns about large scale livestock development in the state.

Application of Survey Results

Survey data and analysis have been utilized in a variety of ways. For example, data from the 2002 survey have been used to inform farm, citizen, industry, and academic audiences about the various concerns Ohioans have of large-scale livestock development in the state. Results from the 2004 survey related to Ohioans' interest and consumption of local and organic foods have been shared with various farm and agricultural groups actively engaged in direct marketing of farm products to Ohioans. Results from the surveys have been compiled into a variety of presentations and summary reports available on this web site. Analyses of survey results have also been published in scholarly outlets associated with a number of academic disciplines.

For More Information

For more information or to be added to the survey's announcement/update list, contact project leader Jeff Sharp, associate professor of Rural Sociology in the Department of Human and Community Resource Development, at (614) 292-9410 or sharp.123@osu.edu. Project announcements/updates will be made no more than three times a year and will communicate new content available on the website.