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Abstract
Novel technology applications such as cloning and genetic modification in livestock
production have not been widely supported by the public. In this study the relationships
between attitudes towards animals, internet use and potential uses of genomics (and
vaccination) in beef and pork are examined. The public’s attitudes towards animals,
based on an AAS score developed by Herzog et al. (1991) could affect how the public
sees the use of genomic technologies in livestock production. Media coverage of
technology, including use of the internet, may also play a role in attitudes towards new
technologies. Public attitudes might impact acceptance of genomic technologies and
influence their adoption by producers, hence influencing societal welfare. Understanding
some of the factors influencing attitudes can assist in the development and adoption of
technologies. Tobit and multinomial regressions for members of the Canadian public
suggest that internet use (for the purposes of searching out information on science and
technology) is a positive indicator of higher animal attitudes scores (being more
protective of animals) which suggests that internet use has both a negative (indirectly
through animal attitudes) and a positive (direct) relationship with the use of genomic
technologies in livestock production (through the sign of the variable in the attitude
towards genomics equations). Respondents’ individual characteristics such as gender,
knowledge of genomics applications prior to survey, income level, etc., are also related to
their risk/benefit assessment of this livestock production technology.