Journal of Agribusiness 19,2(Fall 2001):101S119 © 2001 Agricultural Economics Association of Georgia Characteristics of Consumers Demanding and Their Willingness to Pay for Certified Safer Pork

A telephone survey of 609 Illinois households was conducted in spring 1999. Most consumers surveyed have concerns about pork safety. Concerns were greatest among households with children, lower incomes, older consumers, and Blacks. Lower consumption of pork was associated with higher concern. Consumers had more confidence in USDA certification of enhanced pork safety than in industry certification. Most consumers were willing to pay some price premium for a certified safer product. Those willing to pay more were more likely women, older consumers with incomes less than $70,000, who live in an urban household, and have concern about pork safety. Key Words: certified safer pork, consumer demand, food safety, pork Pork producers are developing mechanisms to enhance the safety of pork products. For example, good production practices have been identified and are being documented as part of a trichinae-free certification program in swine productio