Ambivalentie en strategische onwetenheid rond vlees; Reflectie op de Agrofoodmonitor

Relations between the agri-food sector and society are a source of concern, in particular with regard to in-tensive livestock farming. The agri-food monitor project was set up in order to define and measure socie-ty's valuation of the agri-food sector. Because the concept of societal valuation also raises many questions, this parallel study was added in order to create space for reflection on societal valuation. The character of this reflection has been informed by widespread signals of ambivalence towards meat as well as the suspicion that because of that ambivalence people often do not want to know too many details about meat and livestock farming. This can complicate research into societal valuation. The leading ques-tion of this study is whether and how insights into ambivalence and strategic ignorance can be helpful for understanding societal valuation, in particular with respect to meat. Some questions on this topic have al-so been added to the agri-foodmonitor itself. Ambivalence (conflicting valuation) with respect to meat has increased in recent decades because on the one hand most people are attached to eating meat while on the other hand, a great deal of unsettling information on intensive livestock farming is in the air. Ambivalence leads to emotional agitation, especially when choices relating to cherished habits are involved. One way to deal with that agitation is to keep un-welcome information at a distance, in this case information about livestock farming. In doing so, people are 'strategically ignorant'. Ambivalences in society remain partly hidden by this mechanism. This study looked at the role of ambivalence and strategic ignorance by studying existing literature and by carrying out interviews with fifteen consumers about what they did and didn't want to know about food. Three themes received particular attention: rapid-growth broilers, the use of antibiotics in livestock farming and inspiration with respect to food.