From Policy to Plate: The Impact of Livestock and Poultry Regulation on Meat Consumption in Rural China
利用中国畜禽养殖监管政策作为准自然实验，基于中国健康与营养调查数据，发现该政策使农村居民日均肉类消费减少15.1克，主要源于价格上涨，但非农就业可缓解这一负面影响。
ABSTRACT Given the negative externalities generated by pollution from livestock and poultry production, governments have implemented environmental regulations targeting the agricultural sector. This study uses China's livestock and poultry regulation (LPR) as a quasiexperiment and evaluates its impacts on rural residents’ meat consumption. Utilizing the data from China Health and Nutrition Surveys, our findings reveal an average reduction of 15.1 g in daily meat consumption per rural resident, primarily attributed to meat price increases. However, nonfarm employment would alleviate the negative impact of LPR on meat consumption. Residents with higher income, engaging in nonfarm jobs, and higher dietary knowledge exhibit lower mean intake reduction. Furthermore, for individuals with excessive meat intake, the regulation reduces their meat consumption, while exerting little effects on those with inadequate or moderate meat consumption. Our findings have important policy implications regarding the trade‐offs between food security and nutrition and environmental protection, in particular in rural areas.