Recent statewide and San Joaquin Valley voter research demonstrates that California’s current incentive-based programs to reduce livestock methane are broadly supported. This means voters share the views of state and local elected leaders who support the incentive-based approach.
As shown below, the current incentive programs provided by the state to California’s dairy farmers for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and producing renewable natural gas are strongly supported.
The current programs are supported by 69% of voters statewide with 42% of voters “strongly” in support. Support is strongest among democrats (80%) and independent voters (73%).
Voters also recognize farming and food production as essential to the state’s economy with 86% of voters describing the industry as “very important,” leading all industries by a wide margin.
California has implemented a highly successful incentive-based approach to dairy methane reduction. Support for these incentives is clear and unmistakable. Two-thirds of voters (65%) statewide and three-quarters (72%) in the San Joaquin Valley oppose having the state directly regulate dairy farms and eliminate current incentive programs.
Opposition to other direct regulatory schemes is also widely unpopular, as follows:
79% oppose having government directly limit meat and dairy consumption
74% oppose placing a new tax on meat and dairy products
63% oppose limiting the number of dairy cows farmers can milk
58% oppose limiting the expansion of dairy farms
Finally, 64% of statewide voters believe their food prices would increase if incentives are eliminated. Concern about the cost of food is even higher among voters in the San Joaquin Valley, with 77% describing it as a crisis or very serious problem.
The survey was funded by Dairy Cares and conducted between May 2-6. Sextant Strategies and Research conducted the multimodal (live telephone and internet) survey among 1,200 California registered voters, including an oversample of 400 interviews in the San Joaquin Valley. Spanish-language interviews were conducted among respondents. The estimation error for the statewide results is 3.4% and 4.6% for the San Joaquin Valley results.
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