A critical piece when connecting consumers to local food could be opinion leaders and the influence these individuals have with their peers.
In a recent study, faculty and students at the UF/ IFAS Center for Public Issues Education surveyed 1,023 people across the United States to identify opinion leaders when it comes to local food issues.
Fifteen percent of the survey participants qualified as opinion leaders.
Research then identified characteristics of local food opinion leaders and how these leaders can influence their peers. Overall, the opinion leaders valued eating healthy foods and strongly agreed that quality foods provide personal health benefits.
“Opinion leaders can positively influence the local food movement as well as the local economy,” said Alexa Lamm, assistant director for the PIE Center and assistant professor of agricultural education and communication.
Lamm led the study for the PIE Center and co-authored a series of Extension documents on opinion leadership and the perception of local food. Research assistant Melissa Taylor and undergraduate intern Layne Marshall also worked on the development of this Extension series.
Learn more: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc266
This research has been featured in the following news publications:
Growing FLorida
Horti Daily
IFAS News
Indiana Ag Connection
News Wise
Wisconsin Ag Connection
