Most grocery shoppers aren't aware meats carry a label indicating the origin of the product, and they aren't willing to pay for one, either, indicate the results from a new Kansas State University and Oklahoma State University survey.

"Less than one-third of the participants surveyed know that it is a law to label where the meat originates," says Glynn Tonsor, an associate professor of agricultural economics at K-State. "Time and time again, we find that food safety, price, freshness and taste tend to be attributes, regardless of the meat product we're talking about, that rank highly in importance and drive purchasing decisions. Social issues like origin, environmental impact and sustainability matter to consumers, but do not drive purchasing decisions."