AgScience-on-Tap | Social factors in agriculture

Exciting lectures (in English) and lively discussions in a relaxed atmosphere with a cool drink on Wednesday evenings: that's “AgScience-on-Tap”. In this series of events in the “Jagdzimmer” of the Furtnerbräu Freising, you will meet speakers from various fields of agricultural, nutritional and environmental sciences with changing topics. The interdisciplinary organization team from TUM and HSWT is looking forward to a large audience for exchange and networking on current research results presented and presented in an understandable way.

Agriculture is never just a matter of engineering technology, crop cultivation, or animal farming – it is always embedded in social contexts. Consumption habits, public perceptions, political debates, and ethical values shape how agricultural research is conducted and which innovations gain traction. Under the semester theme “Social Factors in Agriculture”, the AgScience-on-Tap series in Winter Semester 2025/26 explores these interactions: How do social factors influence agricultural practices and research, and how can science engage with society to address key questions for the future?

The talk of Gesa Busch explores the citizen–consumer gap: the discrepancy between what people say they value (e.g. sustainability, fairness, health) and how they actually behave in food purchasing. Drawing on insights from behavioral economics, psychology, and nutrition science, it highlights mechanisms such as convenience, price sensitivity, and decision heuristics. The discussion emphasizes both the challenges and the opportunities for aligning ethical intentions with everyday consumption.

Dates and topics for the following talks:

• 17 November 2025, 7 pm, Olivia Spykman (LfL): Future Crop Farming – perspectives on novel technologies and crop production systems
• 08 December 2025, 7 pm, Amy Clare (TUM): “These issues are just not understood!” Livestock farmers’ perspectives on gene editing, a tale of issue formation and public engagement
• 21 January 2025, 7 pm, Dr. Mascha Gugganig (LMU): Science, Technology, and Agrifood: exploring intersections between critical agrifood studies and science & technology studies

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