Written by: Victoria Broehm & Lacie Dotterweich | September 24, 2020
Here’s an interesting new finding: out of all U.S. business sectors, Americans are currently feeling the most positive about the food and agriculture industries, says a recent Gallup survey. This is the first time in Gallup’s 20 years of tracking views of business and industry sectors that farming and agriculture have overtaken the former top ranking industries of restaurants and computers.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers views’ of all industries have been impacted, but Gallup found that naturally, they are becoming more appreciative of the industries that are crucial to people’s well-being, including farming and agriculture, healthcare and pharmaceuticals.
The farming and agriculture industry already ranked among the top-rated industries before the pandemic, but the sector has now moved to the number one spot with a 69% positive rating – an 11-percentage-point increase.
The data is a good indicator that the food and agriculture industry has built some goodwill over the past few months while working to keep grocery store shelves stocked with nutritious food for Americans and their families to eat.
I recently had an American Feed Industry Association member tell me that it is often said that “character is developed during times of crisis” but that he believed that “people’s character is actually revealed during crisis.” I think when you look across agriculture – this sentiment is very true – men and women have continued showing up for work every day for the common good and leadership has worked to do the right thing to keep their employees safe and healthy; this dedication has not been lost on those who purchase food for their families, feed for their livestock and poultry or pet food for their four-legged companions.
Gallup’s survey is based on telephone interviews in early August with a random sample of 1,031 adults living across the U.S. Read more on Gallup’s website.
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