Understanding German Pig Farmers’ Intentions to Design and Construct Pig Housing for the Improvement of Animal Welfare

SIMPLE SUMMARY: The husbandry conditions for farm animals are currently being discussed by society and should be improved. In response, some farmers are modernizing their pig housing to offer a higher level of animal welfare than the standard. Moreover, farmers are facing diverse financing and licensing problems when planning new barns. Different studies have already shown that monetary factors and legal requirements often impede farmers from investing in such projects. However, if both of these obstacles for stall construction are excluded, very little is known about the additional factors that influence the behavior of famers seeking to construct pig housing for improving farm animal welfare. Using a model based on the Theory of Planned Behavior, this study investigates the psychological factors underlying farmers’ intentions to construct pig housing based on an online survey among 424 German pig farmers. Utilizing partial least squares path modeling, it is shown for the first time that attitude towards behavior, subjective norm, and direct and indirect experience can explain more than 59.4% of pig farmers’ decisions to construct pig housing with higher farm animal welfare standards. Direct experience and attitude have the strongest influence, while perceived behavioral control does not significantly influence a farmer’s decision. These results, which may also be relevant for other European countries, indicate that in addition to licensing requirements and economic efficiency, the above-mentioned factors also influence the behavior related to barn construction. Farmers, politicians, and stall construction companies should be aware of these results. ABSTRACT: Improving farm animal welfare requires modifications to the behavior of many stakeholders. Investments in more animal-friendly barns to improve animal welfare have already been made by some farmers. However, more farmers must be persuaded to modernize their barns. The marketing of animal-friendly products is the responsibility of retailers, and consumers have to purchase these products. Currently, little is known about what (and how) underlying psychological factors influence a farmer’s intention to construct pig housing to improve farm animal welfare. Pig farmers in Germany were questioned via an online questionnaire in May 2020 (n = 424). Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), partial least squares path modeling was used. The constructs: attitude, subjective norm, direct and indirect experience associated with the construction of pig housing substantially influenced the farmers’ behaviors. As expected, the impact of perceived behavioral control on intention was negative but was also very low and only slightly significant. Contrary to expectations, the perceived behavioral control had no significant influence on farmers’ behaviors. Pig farmers who have already rebuilt their pigs’ housing should be motivated to share their experiences to influence their colleagues’ intentions to construct. Our results will encourage policy makers to consider the important role of the different psychological and intrinsic factors influencing pig farmers. Thus, the sustainability of pig farming can be improved by giving politicians a better understanding of farmers’ behaviors.