Green industry businesses face many challenges in production including finding and retaining employees as well as increasing materials and shipping costs. To address production hurdles, implementation of various types of automation are a key focus in many horticultural production operations. Automation has the potential to not only address key production challenges but can also improve working conditions and employee experience, including health and well-being. A focus on employee health and wages has been shown to be valued by consumers of a range of horticultural food crops and have been a key element in price premiums for food crops and businesses who demonstrate their positive benefit for worker or community well-being. However, less is known about consumer perceptions of green industry production practices or their valuation of businesses prioritizing employee well-being. Therefore, a nationwide consumer survey was undertaken to assess consumer knowledge and perception about automation overall and automation within horticultural production. While the focus on the survey was to investigate automation technologies in the nursery industry, the survey included a range of greenhouse and nursery crops to assess consumers’ understanding of the current use of automation as well as perceptions about automation as well as the impact of automation on employee health and well-being. The focus on the presentation will be on consumer knowledge and opinion on automation in plant production as well as the role of consumer demographics, work experiences, and industry knowledge. Results will be summarized to share opportunities for strengthening consumer valuation of horticultural crops.
