Community Attitudes toward Gene Editing in the Red Meat Sector

Abstract

This study was conducted to better understand the diversity of community and producer attitudes toward the use of gene editing in red meat production, and to explore the drivers and implications of these attitudes for community engagement on this topic. The purpose of the research was both to better understand how and why Australians hold particular views on the use of gene editing in meat production and, through such understanding, to develop a set of best practice guidelines for community engagement on this topic. To achieve the research objectives, we conducted a mixed qualitative and quantitative study which consisted of a series of community focus groups, stakeholder interviews, and a producer survey, which helped inform a subsequent large-scale community survey. As a result, we identified five community discourses on gene editing, which were partly associated with general views on livestock production and technological innovation. We also explored key issues related to community trust and proposed best practice guidelines for engaging members of the community about gene editing. The results of this research will assist MLA in responding to the public’s hopes for and concerns about the use of gene editing in livestock production.