Social acceptability of French livestock production: debated issues and controversies on livestock production, points of view of multiple stakeholders

Abstract

The way the French society looks at livestock farming is changing because of social changes and the significant development of production systems. To meet these challenges, many analyses of the views of livestock farming actors, sectors and the society have been conducted on livestock farming and its reconsiderations. A socio-historical analysis underlines the historical ground of those concerns and their evolution. Based on both qualitative and quantitative studies and with the sociology of controversies as theoretical framing, we first show that the citizens’ expectations on livestock farming are diverse but that a sensitivity for animal welfare is becoming widespread. In addition, we also show that the livestock farming sector is taking these social expectations more and more into account in the adaptation of its practices. Five visions on the livestock farming of the future, supported by different types of actors, coexist: abolitionists, alternatives, progressives, competitors and the unconcerned. Livestock farming sector’s strategies to answer those social concerns and improve the relationship between society and livestock farming can be the implementation of good practice guidelines or demarcation on the production system. More globally, this paper illustrates the benefits provided by methods and concepts of sociology of controversies to understand debates on livestock farming and to provide input for the reflection of all the social stakeholders concerned.