A new survey unveiled by the National Chicken Council shows knowledge of the environmental impact of chicken among consumers is low.

The research sought to find how deeply consumers understand sustainable food practices as it relates to broiler chicken production, an industry the National Chicken Council says maintains one of the lowest environmental footprints in animal agriculture.

According to survey results, only half of survey participants, or 51 percent,  are moderately knowledgeable about chicken’s impact on the environment, while three-quarters, or 71 percent, are moderately knowledgeable about how chicken is produced.

While most are familiar with topics related to animal welfare and processing, knowledge related to sustainability topics in the industry like water usage, greenhouse gas emissions and water impact is limited.

In addition, when it comes to factors driving purchase decisions today, the environmental impact of chicken is as important as animal welfare.

However, 82 percent of respondents say taste, while 65 percent say price, are the top drivers of purchase decisions.