In livestock-heavy Iowa — leading the nation in pork and egg production and in the top 10 for beef — nearly a quarter of shoppers say they’d give plant-based burgers a try and about a fifth say they are somewhat likely to sample lab-grown chicken, according to an Iowa Farm Bureau Federation survey released this week.
The federation’s Food and Farm Index showed 24% of Iowa shoppers would try plant-based meat and 21% might try lab-grown meat. But the majority of Iowans would push past plant-based and lab-cultivated meats: 76% and 79% of shoppers, respectively ― the figures the federation focused on in its news release accompanying the survey.
Conducted May 12 to June 1 by the Harris Poll for the federation, the poll of 500 Iowa adults ages 20-60 who have primary or shared responsibility for grocery shopping has a margin of error of plus or minus 5.8%.
The poll comes after the U.S. Department of Agriculture gave approval last month to California companies Upside Foods and Good Meat to begin producing lab-grown chicken that will be sold in restaurants and eventually grocery stores.
Chad Hart, an Iowa State University agricultural economist, said Iowans’ willingness to try the product is tied to its novelty.
“I’d chalk it up to curiosity,” said Hart said. “If there’s a new product, everybody wants to try it.”
The survey also showed that 44% of Iowa shoppers would try plant-based milk.
Even if Iowans “would try the products,” Hart said, “it doesn’t mean that they would consistently buy it.”
In fact, 53% of Iowans who have previously purchased plant-based meat — and 44% of those who have bought plant-based milk — said they’re are unlikely to buy the products again.
Hart said U.S. interest in plant-based meats like Impossible Burgers and Beyond Meat exploded, then waned. “Lots of people tried them. Very few consistently bought them,” he said. “You go back to your favorites.”
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