Consumer Trust in Extension as a Source of Biotech Food Information

A mail questionnaire survey was used to collect data on the sources that consumers used for gathering information about biotech food products and nutrition issues. Using responses from 250 randomly selected consumers from three states, this article (1) examines the media and sources from where consumers obtained food products and nutrition information and (2) estimates the level of trust that consumers put on Extension professionals as a source of information. Newspapers, television, magazines, and word-of-mouth were frequently used to gather food products and nutrition information. Extension professionals were ranked as the third most trusted source of information by consumers.