Identifying and Exploiting Opportunities for ‘Clean, Green and Ethical’ Animal Production

Abstract

Market demand for ‘clean, green and ethical’ animal production is growing. In order to identify and exploit market opportunities for ‘clean, green and ethical’ products in the animal industries, we need an approach to agricultural innovation that effectively connects consumers with producers, scientists and other industry stakeholders. Using the case of mulesing in the Australian wool industry, we highlight the constraints of the traditional ‘transfer of technology’ approach to innovation processes aimed at developing technologies and products that seek to meet the demands of ‘ethical’ consumers. In examining the case of mulesing in the Australian wool industry and consumers response to ‘clean, green and ethical’ wool apparel, we are able to articulate an alternative approach to innovation that supports the early and ongoing engagement of consumers, producers and other influential stakeholders in the innovation and product design process. Ultimately, this flexible and collaborative approach to innovation, known as ‘fourth generation research and development’, may help animal industries to identify and exploit of new market opportunities for ‘clean, green and ethical’ products.