Farm Bureau Panel Explores Consumer Engagement

Attendees at Missouri Farm Bureau’s annual meeting heard Sunday from a panel of economists and commodity advocates exploring how farmers might need to respond to changing consumer trends, particularly with alternatives to meat and milk making their way to store shelves. Jayson Lusk of Purdue University says “fake meat” products are a trend that will not go away.

Lusk predicts that plant and lab-grown alternatives could comprise as much as 15 percent of meat purchases in the next 15 years. He adds that with alternatives arriving on shelves, several of which are highly processed, messages is changing.

Purdue University economics professor Jayson Lusk is currently president of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association. He also will deliver the keynote speech at Monday morning’s general session of the 105th annual meeting of Missouri Farm Bureau in Osage Beach.