The First Cellular Agriculture Focus Group
The first American focus group to qualitatively look at public attitudes about cellular agriculture and cultured meat
2016 - 2017
New Harvest, in partnership with the Environmental Law Institute, assembled the first American focus group to understand public attitudes about cellular agriculture and cultured meat.
The two focus groups interviewed as part of this initiative provide an important qualitative perspective on how the public weighs the potential benefits and risks of cultured meat and cellular agriculture.
After concluding this initiative, New Harvest decided against pursuing further consumer research. Other researchers and industry groups would go on fund and pursue this type of work.
FIRST CELL AG FOCUS GROUP
Overview
Prior to this focus group, much of the consumer attitudes around cellular agriculture and cultured meat were based on non-rigorous surveys. Qualitative data was extremely lacking. And in a world long before there were products on shelves, many of these surveys were highly speculative and often misleading.
New Harvest, in partnership with the Environmental Law Institute (ELI), sought out to conduct the first American focus group studies on attitudes towards cellular agriculture and cultured meat. The focus groups were conducted by Hart Research, a firm with specific expertise in conducting public opinion research. The entire collaborative project was supported by the science and technology-focused Richard Lounsbery Foundation.
In mid-2016, New Harvest was invited to speak before the National Academies of Sciences on cellular agriculture to help advise on the regulation of new biotechnology products. At this event, we crossed paths with Dave Rejeski, Director of the Technology, Innovation and the Environment Project at ELI.
Dave had previously conducted research on public attitudes about nanotechnology and synthetic biology, and had co-authored A Guide for Communicating Synthetic Biology with the Woodrow Wilson Center. He was keen to learn about the public’s attitudes towards cellular agriculture, with help from New Harvest.
The focus group study was designed and conducted primarily by Abigail Davenport of Hart Research, with input on content and advice from New Harvest and ELI.
After concluding this initiative, New Harvest decided against pursuing further consumer research. Other researchers and industry groups would go on fund and pursue this type of work.
FIRST CELL AG FOCUS GROUP
Outcomes
The project team publishes a report on the focus group findings, a starting point for gathering some American perspectives on cellular agriculture and cultured meat. Findings are also captured in a short video, below.
The focus groups yield two transcripts: from non-college-educated adults (focus group #1) and from college-educated adults (focus group #2).
The conversations are captured in the videos to the right.
FIRST CELL AG FOCUS GROUP
Progress Timeline
Nov 2016 - Environmental Law Institute (ELI) publishes a press release announcing the initiative.
Dec 2016 - Focus groups are conducted in Baltimore, Maryland. Hart Research Associates administers the focus groups using this template script. This video was shown to both groups as part of the study design. The focus groups yield a transcript from non-college-educated adults (focus group #1) and a transcript from college-educated adults (focus group #2).
Jan 2017 - Key findings are published in a report, Perceptions on Cellular Agriculture: Key Findings from Qualitative Research, Perceptions on Cellular Agriculture: Key Findings from Qualitative Research, by Hart Research Associates. Key findings are also summarized in a short video.
FIRST CELL AG FOCUS GROUP
Collaborators
This initiative was developed in partnership with David Rejeski at the Environmental Law Institute.
The focus groups were conducted by Hart Research, a firm with specific expertise in conducting public opinion research.
FIRST CELL AG FOCUS GROUP
Contact
If you have questions or would like to get in touch regarding this project, please contact us at info@new-harvest.org