Project Grant 20236702339789

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** FOREIGN ANIMAL DISEASES, SUCH AS FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE, POSE AS A THREAT TO THE UNITED STATES. WHILE AN FMD OUTBREAK HAS NOT OCCURRED IN THE UNITED STATES SINCE 1929, THE ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS COULD BE SIGNIFICANT. SUCH AN OUTBREAK HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CRIPPLE THE U.S. MEAT SUPPLY CHAIN AND THE GREATER ECONOMY IF NOT PROPERLY CONTROLLED OR PROMPTLY IDENTIFIED. THE STANDARD USDA CONTROL METHOD FOR FMD IS TO EUTHANIZE INFECTED LIVESTOCK WITHIN A SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHIC RADIUS IF AN OUTBREAK IS IDENTIFIED. YET, STUDIES HAVE DETERMINED MEAT HARVESTED FROM RECOVERED ANIMALS ARE SAFE FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION. TO PRESERVE ANIMAL PROTEIN, CONTAIN THE DISEASE, AND MITIGATE LOSSES BY THE GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESSES IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN, STAKEHOLDERS HAVE SUGGESTED ALTERNATIVE RESPONSES. THESE MAY INCLUDE COMBINATIONS OF WELFARE DEPOPULATION OF ANIMALS, VACCINATION, AND SEGMENTED SLAUGHTER. THESE RESPONSES MAY BE OF LITTLE TO NO ECONOMIC VALUE TO THE GOVERNMENT AND STAKEHOLDERS IF CONSUMERS DO NOT PERCEIVE BENEFIT OR PROCESSORS ARE NOT WILLING TO TAKE ON THE RISK FROM MEAT DERIVED FROM ANIMALS WITHIN THE INFECTION ZONE. THROUGH SURVEYING DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL CONSUMERS AND INTERVIEWING DOMESTIC PROCESSORS, THIS PROJECT AIMS TO EXAMINE BEHAVIOR AS IT RELATES TO THE MEAT PRODUCTS HARVESTED FROM LIVESTOCK FROM A SIGNIFICANT ANIMAL DISEASE OUTBREAK. THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES ARE TO: 1) GAUGE PERCEPTIONS OF LIVESTOCK MEAT RECOVERED FROM NON-ZOONOTIC DISEASES; 2) IDENTIFY WHICH SEGMENTS OF THE FOOD-RETAIL SUPPLY CHAIN THESE MEAT PRODUCTS CAN BE SOLD; AND 3) ESTIMATE THE DISCOUNTS NEEDED TO SELL THESE MEAT PRODUCTS IN THE MARKETPLACE.