Publications by authors named "Nicole Widmar"

Retail prices for eggs surged during the period from early 2022 to mid-2023 in the U.S. We investigate the impact of egg price fluctuations on online and social media discourse, analyzing the relationship between egg prices and public sentiment.

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As global concerns and awareness of the threat posed by antimicrobial resistance (AMR) grow, the One Health initiative provides a framework to advance public understanding of and willingness to address AMR. The use of bacteriophages as a non-antibiotic means to control bacterial infections aligns with this framework, but it is unknown whether the use of new antibiotic alternatives, and bacteriophages in particular, will find acceptance among consumers. Within the context of poultry production and consumption, we sampled 1497 Pakistani consumers studying their knowledge of and familiarity with antibiotics, bacteriophages and AMR, whether they perceived AMR as a threat, and their willingness to accept alternative microbial control technologies.

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Background: Interest in local food has been growing, driven by increased attention from consumers, supporting policies, and interest in offering supply by local producers. Nonetheless, a definition of "local food" remains elusive, varying with purposes, geographies, and perceptions. This study quantifies online media mentioning local food in 2018-2021 using online and social media listening and analytics.

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The shortages of baby formula in the US resulting from the voluntary recall of contaminated products and shutdown of manufacturing facility in February led to increases in the national out-of-stock rate of the baby formula from 18 to 70% over the summer of 2022. This study utilizes social media listening and data analysis to examine how online media reactions to the physical shortage changed over time and how the reaction to the shortage differed from to the initial recall announcements. Improved understanding of reactions to emergent issues in foods through this lens may improve communication efficiency to mitigate potential consequences.

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Disruptions to meat markets during the COVID-19 pandemic spurred mass media attention. While media deeming the U.S.

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Stated levels of concerns regarding different aspects of beef and its supply chain in the U.S. were studied for a representative sample of 1275 U.

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Human behavior, such as wearing a mask in public, affects the trajectory of the COVID-19 pandemic. A nationally representative survey of 1198 U.S.

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Societies are looking for ways to mitigate risk while stimulating economic recovery from COVID-19. Facial coverings (masks) reduce the risk of disease spread but there is limited understanding of public beliefs regarding mask usage in the U.S.

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Abstract: In light of extended stay-at-home periods during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, recent societal trends have revealed an increased use of online media to remain connected. Simultaneously, interests in at-home cooking and baking, particularly of "comfort foods" have increased. Because flour is a crucial component in many of these products, we analyze how the U.

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Abstract: Recall announcements by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) are important communication tools.

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The digital divide limits opportunities for those without ready access to Internet. Movement online of essential activities during COVID-19 took inadequate Internet service from inconvenient to emergency/crisis for many households. A negative correlation between rurality and Internet speed was found at the county level, highlighting the struggle for rural areas.

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Mosquito-borne illnesses present a public health threat. This analysis quantifies general online mosquito media, and the Zika virus [ZIKV) specifically, from 7-20-2016 to 10-20-2018 in five U.S.

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Enormous quantities of data are generated through social and online media in the era of Web 2.0. Understanding consumer perceptions or demand efficiently and cost effectively remains a focus for economists, retailer/consumer sciences, and production industries.

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Agricultural fairs provide one of the last frontiers, and largest stages, for showcasing livestock agriculture to the public. However, public funding, attendance revenue, animal biosecurity, and public health concerns are all aspects worthy of conversation and increased research attention given the interaction between livestock animals and the general public in fair and festival settings. A prominent social media listening and data analytics platform was used to quantify online and social media chatter concerning agricultural fairs during a 27-mo period.

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Changing consumer shopping behaviors, and specifically the shift towards online procurement of goods and services, have altered the retail landscape of nearly all goods, including pet products and services. Whilst it is known and commonly discussed that less retail business for products and medications is being conducted in clinics than in the past, it is not well documented where that commerce is now taking place, and by what customer segments. For cats, dogs, and other pets, specialty food and food in general was purchased by a high percentage of respondents at the physical store.

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The public perception of the veterinary medicine profession is of increasing concern given the mounting challenges facing the industry, ranging from student debt loads to mental health implications arising from compassion fatigue, euthanasia, and other challenging aspects of the profession. This analysis employs social media listening and analysis to discern top themes arising from social and online media posts referencing veterinarians. Social media sentiment analysis is also employed to aid in quantifying the search results, in terms of whether they are positivity/negativity associated.

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U.S. residents' perceptions of the impact of prominent animal welfare and veterinary care organizations on pet animal well-being and health care may not be linked to the organization's stated mission and effectiveness in advancing it, but to the level of recognition people have for the groups.

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Cheese is a widely consumed product in American diets and an important economic driver of US dairy markets. Given the widespread interest in credence attributes of fluid dairy products, the lack of knowledge of demand for animal welfare, environmental, and other credence attributes in cheeses is surprising. Increasing attention surrounding dairy cattle welfare has been placed on the disbudding or dehorning of dairy cattle, in addition to the longer term debates surrounding pasture access and antibiotic use.

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Meat consumption and public concern for farm animal welfare are increasing, despite limited public understanding of agriculture and animal welfare. Turkey is important in U.S.

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Due to the decrease in fluid milk consumption as a beverage in the United States, the importance for dairy industry stakeholders to understand attribute preferences for consumer segments has increased. This paper uses a representative sample of U.S.

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The extent to which welfare needs of breeding dogs are met in commercial dog-breeding kennels is a potential point of controversy. This analysis sought to understand US residents' perceptions and priorities related to dog welfare : by investigating (a) perceptions of breeding-dog welfare needs and (b) perceptions of various nonhuman animal welfare information sources. Using best/worst-choice experiments conducted in an online survey, respondents' choices for most and least important breeding-dog welfare needs (n = 508) and most/least trusted canine welfare information sources (n = 508) were analyzed.

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The egg industry has transitioned, or is in the process of transitioning, from conventional cages to alternative hen housing systems in response to legal changes in many states across the United States (US). However, consumers find it is increasingly difficult to understand the details behind those labels and specific attributes conveyed. There are multiple hen housing options with a wide range of costs and impacts on hens, workers, and the environment.

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Understanding the relationships between health care provider usage and demographics of patients is necessary for the development of educational materials, outreach information, and programs targeting individuals who may benefit from services. This analysis identified relationships between health care provider usage and individual's demographics. A sample of Midwestern U.

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Seeds of many hardwood trees are dispersed by scatter-hoarding rodents, and this process is often mediated by the traits of seeds. Although numerous studies have linked seed traits to seed preference by rodents, little is known about how rodents forage for seeds when multiple desirable and undesirable seed traits are available simultaneously. Here, we adopt a novel method of designing choice experiments to study how eastern gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) select for 6 traits (caloric value, protein content, tannin concentration, kernel mass, dormancy period and toughness of shell) among seeds.

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Public acceptance of hunting and hunting practices is an important human dimension of wildlife management in the United States. Researchers surveyed 825 U.S.

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