축산물 안전사고의 사회·경제적 영향분석 및 평가에 대한 연구

Abstract

2000년 이후 조류인플루엔자, 구제역 등이 지속적으로 발생하고 있으며, 2008년에는 미국산 쇠고기 수입 재개로 인한 소비자의 BSE에 대한 공포가 ‘촛불 시위’로 확산되기도 하는 등 축산물 안전과 관련한 사건·사고가 끊이지 않고 있다. 축산물 안전관련 사건·사고는 축산물의 안전성에 대한 소비자의 우려를 증대시키며 사회경제적으로 막대한 파급영향을 미칠 수 있다. 보다 효과적인 축산물 안전관리 방안을 도출하고, 소비자의 축산물 안전성에 대한 불신을 제거하기 위해서는 소비자가 축산물 위해요소에 대해 갖고 있는 불안과 이를 유발하는 다양한 과학적, 사회적, 제도적, 심리적 요인들에 대한 종합적 이해가 필요하다. 이 연구는 축산물 안전사고에 대하여 과학적, 제도적, 경제적, 사회적 및 심리적인 측면 등에서 종합적으로 접근하여, 사회·경제적 혼란을 사전 예방하고 효율적이고 효과적인 축산물 안전관리를 위한 대응 방안을 검토함으로써, 향후 축산물 안전성에 대한 소비자의 불안감을 완화시키고 축산물 안전관련 사고에 있어서 사회경제적 비용을 최소화하고 축산 관련 산업의 안정적 발전을 도모하기위해 수행되었다.

The main purpose of this study is to understand scientific, institutional, economical, social, and psychological aspects related to animal diseases and discuss how to improve current risk management and risk communication systems and strategies. The main animal diseases included in the study are foot-and-mouth disease(FMD), avian influenza(AI), bovine spongiform encephalopathy(BSE), and salmonellosis. This study consists of six chapters. Chapter 2 explains scientific factors of main animal diseases. Chapter 3 checks domestic and foreign regulations on animal products safety. Chapter 4 analyzes consumers' psychological aspects on animal products' safety. Chapter 5 analyzes informational characteristics related to animal products safety matters. Chapter 6 reviews previous studies on socio-economic influence of animal diseases. Finally, chapter 7 suggests several policies to restore consumer confidence and secure safety and to enhance efficiency and effectiveness of animal product safety management system. The concept of hazard factors related to animal products are often limited to factors affected humans. In this concept, not all animal diseases are hazard factors. However, consumers sometimes feel uneasy about an animal disease whether it is harmful to humans or not. Therefore, animal diseases about which consumer feel harmful to humans should be categorized as hazard factors. Establishing Quick and clear safety management system and building consumer trust are foundation for firm safety management of these hazard factors. The quality level of korean management system for animal products has grown nearly at the quality levels of advanced countries'. However, the system needs to improve its scientific and consistent system. Also, effective risk communication and international effort level should be accompanied. The consumer psychology analysis shows that consumers are uneasy about main animal diseases. However, consumers are not uneasy about them all the time. The factors affected to consumers' feeling on animal diseases are consumers' knowledge on hazard factors, media, information sources, government action, consumers' appraisal on animal products relevant bodies, and possibilities of control. Information is also an important factor in forming awareness on hazard factors. Mass media and internet have a major role of awareness formation. Recently, the role of internet in delivering information and communicating has grown. Consumer survey results show that consumers give high mark for mass media in terms of credibility, correctiveness, usefulness, and objectivity. Consumers give high mark for internet in terms of usefulness and easiness. Also, consumers put their trust in consumer organization among major information sources including government. Animal products hazard factors have various socio-economic and psychological effects. Previous researches show that FMD and AI have an important effects on agricultural economics. The economic effects of BSE are mainly concentrated on consumption. Previous researches on salmonellosis focused on the cost by human infection. It is needed to consolidate animal products safety management and risk communication to minimize ripple effects caused by animal diseases. To improve the current safety management system, first, the laws, regulations, and systems related to food safety should be modified. Especially, the role of "Framework Act on Food Safety" should be strengthen and risk assessment and risk management systems should be modified. Also, Government capability for risk communication should be strengthen. Second, international harmonization on food safety and consumer oriented policies should be introduced. To ensure more effective risk communication for animal products, first, an information provision standard should be established. The information provision standard should reflect consumers' psychology. Government should provide consistent information which does not irritate consumers. Also, two-sided information and specific guideline should be provided. Furthermore, hazard factors-related information should be exchanged constantly between consumers and government. Second, communication measures and strategies should be selected by characteristics and cases of risk. Animal products related risk communication should make good use of hazard factors-related experts in private sectors. Monitoring usual opinions on the internet and dominating internet issues, boosting two-sided communication, and communicating with major media are also considered.

Researchers: Hwang Yun-Jae and Woo Byung-Joon Research period: 2010. 6. - 2010. 12. E-mail address: yjhwang@krei.re.kr