Location: Application Technology Research
Project Number: 5082-30500-001-067-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Sep 16, 2025
End Date: Sep 15, 2027
Objective:
1. Identify U.S. consumer beliefs, knowledge, perceptions, and concerns with Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA; e.g. local production, taste, nutritional content, energy inputs, growing mediums).
2. Determine if consumer groups can be clustered based on demographic and sociographic variables (beliefs, values, perceptions, knowledge) impacting perceptions of CEA so communication messages supportive of CEA can be tailored to specific audiences.
3. Identify how specific science communication messages about CEA targeting consumer clusters identified influence acceptance of CEA.
4. Determine if visual images of CEA systems alter consumer attitudes and perceptions toward CEA.
5. Determine if knowledge impacts how visual images of CEA systems are perceived.
Approach:
Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) presents promising opportunities to benefit American farmers and several challenges. CEA enables year-round crop production, independent of seasonal changes or weather conditions, ensuring consistent and reliable yields that put ‘America First’ and reduce reliance on imports. By utilizing technologies like hydroponics and vertical farming, CEA significantly also reduces water usage (up to 90% less than traditional farming) and minimizes the need for pesticides. CEA also allows for farming in urban areas, reducing road miles and providing local produce to consumers across the country. Despite its benefits, CEA comes with high initial costs for equipment and infrastructure. In addition, the energy consumption for artificial lighting and climate control can be substantial with the true costs of CEA raising concerns about profitability and sustainability. Consumer concerns include 1) food grown without soil or natural sunlight (e.g., hydroponically or under LEDs) is “unnatural” or inferior in taste and nutrition, 2) skepticism CEA-grown produce lacks the flavor of traditionally grown crops, 3) fear produce grown in controlled environments is not nutritionally equivalent to traditional counterparts, 4) lack of transparency due to unclear labeling including whether CEA-grown produce is identified and growing practices (e.g., pesticide-free, non-GMO) are disclosed clearly, 5) the significant energy inputs for lighting and HVAC, 6) concern CEA products can be more expensive due to high production costs. The project is a science-based and outcome-driven. The findings will further our knowledge base by identifying how specific segments of the U.S. population perceive CEA, motivate the scientific community to work collaboratively with growers to effectively communicate about the science behind CEA production methods, and develop science communication strategies most effective at reaching specific target consumer audiences that may influence regulation impacting CEA adoption. Ultimately leading to a more robust domestic food system with U.S. consumers that support American farmers. The project integrates the mission and expertise of the Application Technology Research Unit with other researchers in disciplines critical to the overall success of the project.