Meat industry explained

The meat industry are the people and companies engaged in modern industrialized livestock agriculture for the production, packing, preservation and marketing of meat (in contrast to dairy products, wool, etc.). In economics, the meat industry is a fusion of primary (agriculture) and secondary (industry) activity and hard to characterize strictly in terms of either one alone. The greater part of the meat industry is the meat packing industry – the segment that handles the slaughtering, processing, packaging, and distribution of animals such as poultry, cattle, pigs, sheep and other livestock.A great portion of the ever-growing[1] meat branch in the food industry involves intensive animal farming in which livestock are kept almost entirely indoors[2] or in restricted outdoor settings like pens. Many aspects of the raising of animals for meat have become industrialized, even many practices more associated with smaller family farms, e.g. gourmet foods such as foie gras.[3] [4] The production of livestock is a heavily vertically integrated industry where the majority of supply chain stages are integrated and owned by one company.

Efficiency considerations

The livestock industry uses more land than any other human activity and is one of the largest contributors to water pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. A relevant factor is the produced species' feed conversion efficiency. Taking into account other concerns, like the use of energy, pesticides, land, and nonrenewable resources, beef, lamb, goat, and bison as sources of red meat show the worst efficiency; poultry and eggs come out best.[5]

Meat sources

Estimated world livestock numbers (million head)[6]
type 1999 !2000 2012 % change 1990–2012
Cattle and Buffaloes 1445 1465 1684 16.5
Pigs849 856 966 13.8
Poultry11788 16077 24075 104.2
Sheep and Goats1795 1811 2165 20.6

Global production of meat products

Companies

Among the largest meat producers worldwide are:

See also: Meat Atlas.

World beef production

World 66.25 million tonnes (2017)[7] [8]
Country million tonnes (2017) % Of World
United States 11.91
Brazil 9.55
China 6.90
Argentina 2.84
Australia 2.05
Mexico 1.93
Russia 1.61
France 1.42
Germany 1.14
South Africa 1.01
Turkey 0.99

Criticism

Criticized aspects and effects of industrial meat production include:

Many observers suggest that the expense of dealing with the above is grossly underestimated by present economic metrics and that true cost accounting would drastically raise the price[14] of industrial meat.[15] [16] [17] [18]

Effects on livestock workers

American slaughterhouse workers are three times more likely to suffer serious injury than the average American worker.[19] NPR reports that pig and cattle slaughterhouse workers are nearly seven times more likely to suffer repetitive strain injuries than average.[20] The Guardian reports that, on average, there are two amputations a week involving slaughterhouse workers in the United States.[21] On average, one employee of Tyson Foods, the largest meat producer in America, is injured and amputates a finger or limb per month.[22] The Bureau of Investigative Journalism reported that over a period of six years, in the UK 78 slaughter workers lost fingers, parts of fingers or limbs, more than 800 workers had serious injuries, and at least 4,500 had to take more than three days off after accidents.[23] In a 2018 study in the Italian Journal of Food Safety, slaughterhouse workers are instructed to wear ear protectors to protect their hearing from the constant screams of animals being killed.[24] A 2004 study in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine found that "excess risks were observed for mortality from all causes, all cancers, and lung cancer" in workers employed in the New Zealand meat processing industry.[25]

The act of slaughtering animals, or of raising or transporting animals for slaughter, may engender psychological stress or trauma in the people involved.[26] [27] [20] [28] [29] [30] [31] [32] [33] [34] [35] A 2016 study in Organization indicates, "Regression analyses of data from 10,605 Danish workers across 44 occupations suggest that slaughterhouse workers consistently experience lower physical and psychological well-being along with increased incidences of negative coping behavior."[36] A 2009 study by criminologist Amy Fitzgerald indicates, "slaughterhouse employment increases total arrest rates, arrests for violent crimes, arrests for rape, and arrests for other sex offenses in comparison with other industries."[36] As authors from the PTSD Journal explain, "These employees are hired to kill animals, such as pigs and cows, that are largely gentle creatures. Carrying out this action requires workers to disconnect from what they are doing and from the creature standing before them. This emotional dissonance can lead to consequences such as domestic violence, social withdrawal, anxiety, drug and alcohol abuse, and PTSD."[37]

Slaughterhouses in the United States commonly illegally employ and exploit underage workers and illegal immigrants.[38] [39] In 2010, Human Rights Watch described slaughterhouse line work in the United States as a human rights crime.[40] In a report by Oxfam America, slaughterhouse workers were observed not being allowed breaks, were often required to wear diapers, and were paid below minimum wage.[41]

Possible alternatives

Cultured meat (aka "clean meat") potentially offers some advantages in terms of efficiency of resource use and animal welfare. It is, however, still at an early stage of development and its advantages are still contested.

Alternative meat industry

See main article: Meat analogue. A growing trend towards vegetarian or vegan diets and the Slow Food movement are indicators of a changing consumer conscience in western countries. Producers on the other hand have reacted to consumer concerns by slowly shifting towards ecological or organic farming. The Alternative meat industry is projected to be worth 140 billion in the next 10 years.[42]

See also

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Global Meat Production and Consumption Continue to Rise. Worldwatch Institute. 30 June 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20130124040928/http://www.worldwatch.org/global-meat-production-and-consumption-continue-rise-1. 24 January 2013. dead.
  2. Web site: Paul Ebner. Purdue University. Modern Livestock Facilities. 1 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20180522155647/http://www.ansc.purdue.edu/faen/Modern%20Facilities.html. 22 May 2018. dead.
  3. Web site: Foie Gras: Cruelty to Ducks and Geese | Ducks and Geese Used for Food | Factory Farming: Misery for Animals | The Issues . PETA . 21 June 2010. 2017-01-16.
  4. Web site: An Animal Equality investigation . Foie Gras farms . 2017-01-16.
  5. Web site: The Kindest Cut – Which meat harms our planet the least?. Nina Rastogi . Slate.com. 28 April 2009 . 2017-01-16.
  6. Web site: FAO's Animal Production and Health Division: Meat & Meat Products . Fao.org . 2017-01-16.
  7. Web site: FAOSTAT. www.fao.org. 2019-10-18.
  8. Web site: World Beef Production: Ranking Of Countries . Beef2live.com . 2016-12-30 . 2017-01-16.
  9. Web site: Steroid Hormone Implants Used for Growth in Food-Producing Animals. FAO. 2015.
  10. News: Definition of veganism. The Vegan Society. 2018-06-06. en.
  11. Web site: The Six Principles of the Abolitionist Approach to Animal Rights – Animal Rights The Abolitionist Approach. www.abolitionistapproach.com. en-US. 2018-06-06.
  12. Dyal . Jonathan W. . Grant . Michael P. . Broadwater . Kendra . Bjork . Adam . Waltenburg . Michelle A. . Gibbins . John D. . Hale . Christa . Silver . Maggie . Fischer . Marc . Steinberg . Jonathan . Basler . Colin A. . Jacobs . Jesica R. . Kennedy . Erin D. . Tomasi . Suzanne . Trout . Douglas . Hornsby-Myers . Jennifer . Oussayef . Nadia L. . Delaney . Lisa J. . Patel . Ketki . Shetty . Varun . Kline . Kelly E. . Schroeder . Betsy . Herlihy . Rachel K. . House . Jennifer . Jervis . Rachel . Clayton . Joshua L. . Ortbahn . Dustin . Austin . Connie . Berl . Erica . Moore . Zack . Buss . Bryan F. . Stover . Derry . Westergaard . Ryan . Pray . Ian . DeBolt . Meghan . Person . Amy . Gabel . Julie . Kittle . Theresa S. . Hendren . Pamela . Rhea . Charles . Holsinger . Caroline . Dunn . John . Turabelidze . George . Ahmed . Farah S. . deFijter . Siestke . Pedati . Caitlin S. . Rattay . Karyl . Smith . Erica E. . Luna-Pinto . Carolina . Cooley . Laura A. . Saydah . Sharon . Preacely . Nykiconia D. . Maddox . Ryan A. . Lundeen . Elizabeth . Goodwin . Bradley . Karpathy . Sandor E. . Griffing . Sean . Jenkins . Mary M. . Lowry . Garry . Schwarz . Rachel D. . Yoder . Jonathan . Peacock . Georgina . Walke . Henry T. . Rose . Dale A. . Honein . Margaret A. . COVID-19 Among Workers in Meat and Poultry Processing Facilities ― 19 States, April 2020 . MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report . 8 May 2020 . 69 . 18 . 10.15585/mmwr.mm6918e3 . 32379731 . 218555116 . COVID-19 cases among U.S. workers in 115 meat and poultry processing facilities were reported by 19 states. Among approximately 130,000 workers at these facilities, 4,913 cases and 20 deaths occurred. . free .
  13. Xu . Xiaoming . Sharma . Prateek . Shu . Shijie . Lin . Tzu-Shun . Ciais . Philippe . Tubiello . Francesco N. . Smith . Pete . Campbell . Nelson . Jain . Atul K. . Global greenhouse gas emissions from animal-based foods are twice those of plant-based foods . Nature Food . September 2021 . 2 . 9 . 724–732 . 10.1038/s43016-021-00358-x . 37117472 . 2164/18207 . 240562878 . free .
  14. Web site: USDA ERS – Retail Meat Prices & Price Spreads . Ers.usda.gov . 2016-12-02 . 2017-01-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161028220851/http://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/animal-products/animal-production-marketing-issues/retail-meat-prices-price-spreads.aspx . 28 October 2016 . dead .
  15. Web site: FAO. 2014. Food wastage footprint – Full cost accounting.
  16. Web site: Unfair fare: Why prices for meat from small local farms are too high. Ethicurean.com. 2017-01-16. https://web.archive.org/web/20170128135809/http://www.ethicurean.com/2009/03/31/unfair-fare/. 28 January 2017. dead.
  17. News: Getting Real About the High Price of Cheap Food. TIME. 2009.
  18. News: The Triple Whopper Environmental Impact of Global Meat Production. 2013. TIME.
  19. Web site: Meatpacking . Occupational Safety and Health Administration . 23 May 2019.
  20. News: Lowe . Peggy . Working 'The Chain,' Slaughterhouse Workers Face Lifelong Injuries . NPR . 11 August 2016 .
  21. Web site: Two amputations a week: the cost of working in a US meat plant . 5 July 2018 . The Guardian . 23 May 2019.
  22. Web site: America's Largest Meat Producer Averages One Amputation Per Month . Lewis . Cora . 18 February 2018 . Buzzfeed News . 23 May 2019.
  23. Web site: Revealed: Shocking safety record of UK meat plants . 29 July 2018 . The Bureau of Investigative Journalism . 23 May 2019.
  24. Francesca Iulietto . Maria . Sechi . Paola . 3 July 2018 . Noise assessment in slaughterhouses by means of a smartphone app . Italian Journal of Food Safety . 7 . 2 . 7053 . 10.4081/ijfs.2018.7053 . 30046554 . 6036995 .
  25. McLean . D . Cheng . S . June 2004 . Mortality and cancer incidence in New Zealand meat workers . Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine . 61 . 6 . 541–547 . 10.1136/oem.2003.010587 . 15150395 . 1763658 .
  26. News: Sharman . Jon . Sheep farmer who felt so guilty about driving his lambs to slaughter rescues them and becomes a vegetarian . The Independent . 30 January 2019 .
  27. Slaughtering for a living: A hermeneutic phenomenological perspective on the well-being of slaughterhouse employees. Karen. Victor. Antoni. Barnard. 20 April 2016. International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being. 11. 30266. 10.3402/qhw.v11.30266. 27104340. 4841092.
  28. News: PTSD in the Slaughterhouse. 7 February 2012. The Texas Observer. 30 January 2019.
  29. News: There's a Christmas crisis going on: no one wants to kill your dinner – Chas Newkey-Burden. Chas. Newkey-Burden. 19 November 2018. 30 January 2019. The Guardian.
  30. Web site: Psychological Distress Among Slaughterhouse Workers Warrants Further Study – SPH – Boston University. School of Public Health. 30 January 2019.
  31. Dillard . Jennifer . September 2007 . A Slaughterhouse Nightmare: Psychological Harm Suffered by Slaughterhouse Employees and the Possibility of Redress through Legal Reform . 30 January 2019 . ResearchGate.net.
  32. Web site: 'I couldn't look them in the eye': Farmer who couldn't slaughter his cows is turning his farm vegan. Serina. S. hu. 2 March 2018. Inews.co.uk. 30 January 2019.
  33. Web site: Meet The Former Livestock Agent Who Started An International Vegan Food Business. Katrina. Fox. Forbes.com. 30 January 2019.
  34. Web site: A Call to Action: Psychological Harm in Slaughterhouse Workers . Lebwohl . Michael . 25 January 2016 . The Yale Global Health Review . 23 May 2019.
  35. Web site: The harrowing psychological toll of slaughterhouse work . Nagesh . Ashitha . 31 December 2017 . Metro . 23 May 2019.
  36. Baran . B. E. . Rogelberg . S. G. . Clausen . T . 2016 . Routinized killing of animals: Going beyond dirty work and prestige to understand the well-being of slaughterhouse workers . Organization . 23 . 3 . 351–369 . 10.1177/1350508416629456 . 148368906 .
  37. Web site: The Psychological Damage of Slaughterhouse Work . PTSDJournal . 23 May 2019 .
  38. News: America's Worst Graveyard Shift Is Grinding Up Workers . Waldman . Peter . 29 December 2017 . Bloomberg.com . 23 May 2019.
  39. Exploitation and Abuse at the Chicken Plant . Grabell . Michael . 1 May 2017 . The New Yorker . 23 May 2019.
  40. Rights on the Line . Human Rights Watch . 11 December 2010 . 23 May 2019. Varia . Nisha .
  41. Web site: Live on the Live . Grabell . Michael . Oxfam America . 23 May 2018 . 23 May 2019.
  42. Web site: How Beyond Meat's Stock Surged 500 Percent In 2019. 13 September 2019. YouTube.

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