http://www.greenlivingtips.com/articles/321/1/Meat-consumption-statistics.html
How much meat do we eat? Consumption statistics
As I was driving out in the country recently, I looked out over hills that were totally denuded of native vegetation - just pastures and paddocks, most of them growing fodder for livestock.
To some it would have been an idyllic rural view and while it's far better than seeing factories for as far as the eye can see; it's a shame that a landscape that remained pretty much unchanged for thousands of years has fallen so quickly to cater to our desire for meat.
The usual disclaimer - I eat meat and even with recent reductions, I fully acknowledge it's still too much. Articles I write on the topic of meat are just another way for me to come to grips with the scale of the issue, to drive home the fact that it's something I and many others really do need to change if we can.
In my article on reducing meat consumption, I outline some of the environmental issues associated with meat eating - and they are quite shocking. Another item on the cruelty aspect of some factory farms challenges us to meet our meat.
A good way to get our heads around the issue is to compare what was then with what is now and gain an idea of exactly how much we're consuming. Here's some interesting statistics I dug up.
USA
In 1970 the averages for annual meat consumption per capita in the USA:
Beef: ~ 80 pounds
Chicken: ~ 27 pounds
Pork: ~ 54 pounds
Turkey: ~ 7 pounds
A total of 168 pounds (around 76 kilograms) per year.
In 2005 the averages for annual meat consumption per capita in the USA:
Beef: ~ 63 pounds
Chicken: ~ 60 pounds
Pork: ~ 48 pounds
Turkey: ~ 14 pounds
A total of 185 pounds (around 84 kilograms) per year.
Growth: 17 pounds
This information was sourced from the USDA. Going back further to the 1950's, meat consumption was under the 100 pound mark per capita. While 17 pounds more may not seem like a lot, multiply that by a population of 300 million.
Australia
In 1968/69 the averages for annual meat consumption per capita in Australia:
Beef and Veal: 40 kilograms
Poultry: 8.3 kilograms
Pork: 6.7 kilograms
Lamb and Mutton: 36.4 kilograms
A total of 91.4 kilograms (around 200 pounds) per year.
In 2005/06 the averages for annual meat consumption per capita in Australia:
Beef and Veal: 36.7 kilograms
Poultry: 38 kilograms
Pork: 22.2 kilograms
Lamb and Mutton: 13 kilograms
A total of 109.9 kilograms (around 242 pounds) per year.
Growth: 18.5 kilograms.
These statistics were sourced from the Victorian Department of Primary Industry. It seems like an incredible amount, but thinking back to my "meat and three meats" days; I'm sure I would have chomped my way through at least that much.
UK
I had some difficulty finding "apples to apples" (for want of a better term) statistics for the UK, but consumption of poultry meat appears to have doubled over the past 20 years, while red meat and pork consumption has remained static. Britons' overall meat consumption is now 50 per cent higher than it was 40 years ago.
Canada
In 1969 the averages for annual meat consumption per capita in Canada
Red meat (boneless weight) : 48.63 kilograms
Poultry (boneless weight) : 13.70 kilograms
A total of 62.33 kilograms (around 137 pounds) per year
In 2005 the averages for annual meat consumption per capita in Canada
Red meat (boneless weight) : 39.34 kilograms
Poultry (boneless weight) : 23.27 kilograms
A total of 62.61 kilograms (around 137 pounds) per year.
These statistics were sourced from Statistics Canada
Take a bow Canada, but not too deep as as the global average in 2003 was 38 kg (around 84 pounds) per person according to the report "Global Production and Consumption of Animal Source Foods" from the United Nations.
How much meat do we eat? Consumption statistics
As I was driving out in the country recently, I looked out over hills that were totally denuded of native vegetation - just pastures and paddocks, most of them growing fodder for livestock.
To some it would have been an idyllic rural view and while it's far better than seeing factories for as far as the eye can see; it's a shame that a landscape that remained pretty much unchanged for thousands of years has fallen so quickly to cater to our desire for meat.
The usual disclaimer - I eat meat and even with recent reductions, I fully acknowledge it's still too much. Articles I write on the topic of meat are just another way for me to come to grips with the scale of the issue, to drive home the fact that it's something I and many others really do need to change if we can.
In my article on reducing meat consumption, I outline some of the environmental issues associated with meat eating - and they are quite shocking. Another item on the cruelty aspect of some factory farms challenges us to meet our meat.
A good way to get our heads around the issue is to compare what was then with what is now and gain an idea of exactly how much we're consuming. Here's some interesting statistics I dug up.
USA
In 1970 the averages for annual meat consumption per capita in the USA:
Beef: ~ 80 pounds
Chicken: ~ 27 pounds
Pork: ~ 54 pounds
Turkey: ~ 7 pounds
A total of 168 pounds (around 76 kilograms) per year.
In 2005 the averages for annual meat consumption per capita in the USA:
Beef: ~ 63 pounds
Chicken: ~ 60 pounds
Pork: ~ 48 pounds
Turkey: ~ 14 pounds
A total of 185 pounds (around 84 kilograms) per year.
Growth: 17 pounds
This information was sourced from the USDA. Going back further to the 1950's, meat consumption was under the 100 pound mark per capita. While 17 pounds more may not seem like a lot, multiply that by a population of 300 million.
Australia
In 1968/69 the averages for annual meat consumption per capita in Australia:
Beef and Veal: 40 kilograms
Poultry: 8.3 kilograms
Pork: 6.7 kilograms
Lamb and Mutton: 36.4 kilograms
A total of 91.4 kilograms (around 200 pounds) per year.
In 2005/06 the averages for annual meat consumption per capita in Australia:
Beef and Veal: 36.7 kilograms
Poultry: 38 kilograms
Pork: 22.2 kilograms
Lamb and Mutton: 13 kilograms
A total of 109.9 kilograms (around 242 pounds) per year.
Growth: 18.5 kilograms.
These statistics were sourced from the Victorian Department of Primary Industry. It seems like an incredible amount, but thinking back to my "meat and three meats" days; I'm sure I would have chomped my way through at least that much.
UK
I had some difficulty finding "apples to apples" (for want of a better term) statistics for the UK, but consumption of poultry meat appears to have doubled over the past 20 years, while red meat and pork consumption has remained static. Britons' overall meat consumption is now 50 per cent higher than it was 40 years ago.
Canada
In 1969 the averages for annual meat consumption per capita in Canada
Red meat (boneless weight) : 48.63 kilograms
Poultry (boneless weight) : 13.70 kilograms
A total of 62.33 kilograms (around 137 pounds) per year
In 2005 the averages for annual meat consumption per capita in Canada
Red meat (boneless weight) : 39.34 kilograms
Poultry (boneless weight) : 23.27 kilograms
A total of 62.61 kilograms (around 137 pounds) per year.
These statistics were sourced from Statistics Canada
Take a bow Canada, but not too deep as as the global average in 2003 was 38 kg (around 84 pounds) per person according to the report "Global Production and Consumption of Animal Source Foods" from the United Nations.
