USAFacts. (2023, October 3). The meat industry is a $103B-a-year industry — how will COVID-19 affect these numbers? USAFacts. https://usafacts.org/articles/meat-industry-2020-covid-19-outbreak/

Covid-19 has significantly impacted the meat processing industry in the US. As of a couple months ago, 16,233 meat plant workers across 239 facilities in 23 states have contracted Covid-19. This has resulted in 86 deaths caused by Covid-19 in the US for workers in the meat processing industry. However, the US still leads globally in cattle, poultry, and pork production. Last year, the US produced 105 billion pounds of meat worth approximately $102 billion. Overall, the industry employs roughly 527,000 people with an average hourly wage of $15.20, about $4.50 lower than average for all manufacturing sectors.

This article gives us an understanding of exactly how much meat the US is producing each year. This is important because we can use this information to understand where our carbon emissions are coming from as well as to create a better understanding of meat production globally. As the world leader in most meat production, despite being ¼ of some of the largest countries in the world, we can get a better understanding of how much meat we are eating and exporting in the US. Creating meat not only requires energy during processing, but while the cattle are still alive, they release lots of methane, a greenhouse gas, which further contributes to global warming.

Brands, S. (2024, January 26). US Meat industry: Meat, dairy sustainability efforts contribute to global goals. Sustainable Brands. https://sustainablebrands.com/read/defining-the-next-economy/us-meat-industry-sustainability-global-goals

The Meat Institute is an association that represents 95% of all beef and pork sold in the US. Livestock accounts for 12% of GHGs in the atmosphere but the UN believes that the livestock sector could significantly reduce emissions while still meeting demand by 2050. CEO of the Meat Institute Julie Potts holds a similar view. The Protein PACT, an organization, expects all of its members to hit their GHG-reduction targets by 2030. This initiative uses robust sustainability reporting along with goal-setting to ensure their members back their goals with action. Potts, CEO, emphasized the need for collaboration within the meat industry across the whole supply chain to achieve the sustainability goals set by the Protein PACT.

This article shows us the steps that meat companies and the industry in the US are taking towards a sustainable future. The focus that they put on reducing GHG emissions gives me hope for the future that if all industries create targets such as these and follow through with them, we will be in good shape. The importance of collaboration across the supply chain is also a key point that many other articles or initiatives miss. By collaborating with each step of the supply chain, companies are able to pool their resources and technology to create a faster, smoother, and more sustainable meat production process.

Hagstrom, J. (2023, November 9). USDA issues new rules on red meat purchases, poultry contracts and seed sales. DTN Progressive Farmer. https://www.dtnpf.com/agriculture/web/ag/blogs/ag-policy-blog/blog-post/2023/11/09/usda-issues-new-rules-red-meat-seed

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued a series of new regulations after President Biden’s executive order concerning competition. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced that all red meat purchased by the USDA must be “born, raised and slaughtered” in the US. He hopes that this domestic requirement will support US producers. Furthermore, a new rule requires transparency in poultry contracting. It requires outlines for earnings disclosures, minimum flock placements, and other important information for growers. Seed companies will also be required to provide variety transparency to farmers during sale. Additionally, the USDA has created a new position, Chief Competition Officer, to address competition challenges in the agricultural sector. 

This article gives me mixed feelings. I do like the idea of USDA purchases to be domestic meat only as it will help local companies. However, I am afraid of the economic implications of this action. Will certain US companies gain a monopoly on meat production? How will this affect price and competition? Furthermore, I do like the idea of increased transparency for meat producers. I think that by doing so, these companies will create more eco-friendly and healthier products as the public’s eye will be more closely looking at them. This will result in less pollution as companies make shifts towards more renewable ways to produce meat.

Kay, S. (2024, January 17). US beef industry may see more red ink in 2024. Food Business News. https://www.foodbusinessnews.net/articles/25375-us-beef-industry-may-see-more-red-ink-in-2024#:~:text=The%20US%20Department%20of%20Agriculture’s,28.291%20billion%20lbs%20in%202022.

The US beef industry is currently in a 2-year decline as beef production has decreased. This has resulted in many challenges for all. Consumers are more likely to face higher prices while beef processors may struggle to make profits. Cattle feeders are also expected to face higher prices for live cattle due to a decrease in the supply of said. The decrease in beef production is a result of continued herd reduction by cow producers which pose a continued challenge for 2024 to come. Overall, this situation has made it hard for meat production related companies to make a profit. 

This article makes me wonder what other factors are being affected by this decrease in cattle. Can we see a change in the amount of methane released by the US? Will people switch to other forms of meat as beef becomes pricier? What are the repercussions of this health and environment wise? I think that this may be a good thing as we will see a switch towards lab-grown beef which is more economically and environmentally friendly. 

McFadden, C. (2024, January 26). Study slashes lab-grown meat cost, engineers bovine muscle stem cells. Interesting Engineering. https://interestingengineering.com/science/cheaper-lab-grown-meat-production

Researchers, at Tufts University’s Center for Cellular Agriculture (TUCCA), have developed a new way to enhance cellular growth for agriculture. This new technology could largely reduce the cost of lab-grown meat. The researchers used bovine muscle stem cells to produce fibroblast growth factor (FGF), which causes the growth of skeletal muscle cells found in meat. Without expensive external growth factors the costs to produce lab-grown meat are significantly reduced and could become commercially available. While this technique is not perfect, it shows promise for reducing meat costs and moving away from regular meat.

This article gives me lots of hope for the future and the meat production industry. With this new technology refined, meat production will be significantly cheaper and will help the economy. With these reduced costs, it will become commercially available. I also suspect that if lab-grown meat becomes commercially available, their sales will be very strong as it is an easy way for customers to identify what meat is good for the environment, lab-grown, and they can feel like they are making a difference. Furthermore, lab-grown meat is much less harmful to the environment, there’s no cows farting, which means that with more lab-grown meat and less natural meat, the environment will greatly benefit. 

Okafor, J. (2023, May 6). Environmental Impact of Meat Production. Trvst. Retrieved August 8, 2023, from https://www.trvst.world/environment/environmental-impact-of-meat-production/

The environmental impacts of meat production are many, and include: its strain on resources, greenhouse gas emissions, and impact on wildlife habitats. The article explores the history of meat production and consumption, types of meat and their different impacts, and environmental consequences. Meat production’s main impacts regarding climate change involve water pollution, deforestation, and air pollution. Additionally, there are many health risks involved with excess meat consumption. The article suggests cultured meat as a solution although the environmental impacts of that compared to conventional meat production is unresolved. Ultimately, the need to be mindful of one’s dietary choices and to observe and support sustainable farming practices is emphasized.

I was not very surprised by the article and its content. The history of meat consumption helped to give me a better understanding of the meat industry as a whole, and it gave a good overall summary of the consequences of meat production and the meat industry overall. Through the broad scope of the article it helps the reader to understand meat production and what it entails. I agree with the points of the article that dietary choices are important to consider and a big factor in the meat industry. If people are more mindful of how much meat they buy and what that meat means for the environment, then the harmful environmental impacts of  meat production and consumption can be reduced. Similarly, choices to buy meat coming from sustainable farming practices can help reduce the harmful environmental impacts due to the meat industry.

McFadden, C. (2023, May 14). New study suggests that lab-grown meat produces up to 25 times more CO2. Interesting Engineering. Retrieved August 8, 2023, from https://interestingengineering.com/science/lab-grown-meat-25-times-co2

A new study from the University of California Davis suggests that lab grown meat, or animal cell-based meat(ACBM), may have a significantly worse environmental impact than traditional livestock farming. The research estimates that if current techniques of creating ACBM are scaled up for the market, ACBM production would result in four to twenty-five times more CO2 emissions than conventional meat production. The results found by this study were unexpected but they can be attributed to the energy intensive process involved in providing cultured cells with nutrients, which requires fossil fuels. Additionally, the elimination of toxins during the production process contributes to high energy and resource costs. Researchers propose developing cell lines that can tolerate more toxins to reduce emissions. It is important to note that the study has not yet undergone peer review.

Upon reading this article about this study I was stunned. I have heard of creating meat in a lab, or ACBM, and how through this process, we can help reduce CO2 emissions and help the environment, as there is less land and nutrients/resources required to create the ACBM. However, this study flips that notion on its head. The study shows that while this new method of creating meat may seem better for the environment, it is many times more damaging. Although, it is important to remember that the study has not yet undergone peer review so the results are not 100% conclusive. Although this article came from UC Davis, the effects of ACBM production are seen globally. Expectations for the future and reducing CO2 emissions due to meat production may be set back, expecting more CO2 emissions in the future. Additionally, new ways of cutting down CO2 emissions in the meat processing process may start to be discovered to help hit targets such as the one stated in the previous article, staying under a 1.5℃ increase in global temperature.

Carrington, D. (2023, March 6). Meat, dairy and rice production will bust 1.5C climate target, shows study. The Guardian. Retrieved August 8, 2023, from https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/mar/06/meat-dairy-rice-high-methane-food-production-bust-climate-target-study

Emissions from food production primarily from meat, dairy, and rice, are expected to lead to a global temperature increase of at least 0.7℃ by the end of the century, in addition to the 1℃ rise already observed. This alone would surpass the 1.5℃ climate increase target for the end of the century. Approximately 75% of the food-related heating is due to high-methane sources such as livestock. To mitigate this impact, it is expected that cutting meat consumption in wealthy nations, reducing livestock emissions and manure, and adopting renewable energy in the food system, could reduce the temperature rise by 55%. Although, these estimates may underestimate the situation as they assume constant animal product consumption whereas projections indicate a 70% increase in consumption by 2050. 

I was initially confused by this article as I did not know about the 1.5℃ target for the world by the end of the century; however, after reading closer I became more concerned as meat production appears to leave a large impact on the global temperature. Some of the environmental consequences due to an increase in global temperature, especially an increase that surpasses targets that have been set, are destroyed ecosystems and more severe dangerous weather events, such as hurricanes. The article expects that the target will be passed by 0.2℃, but it assumes things such as constant animal product consumption, but other studies and articles show that this is not an accurate prediction for the future; animal product consumption has increased almost every year since 1990. This article shines light on the temperature impacts that meat production has. It gives context to the consequences that come with increased meat production, as talked about in the prior article. The article notes that the main contributors to the temperature rise due to food production comes primarily from high-methane sources, this is primarily meat.

(2023, June 20). FAO meat outlook: Production, trade, and prices in 2023. Pid33.com. Retrieved August 8, 2023, from https://www.pig333.com/latest_swine_news/fao-meat-outlook-production-trade-and-prices-in-2023_19446/

World total meat production in 2023 is estimated to increase slightly to 364 million tonnes(carcass weight equivalent) from 345.17 tonnes(carcass weight equivalent) in 2023. Mainly driven by an increase in poultry(chicken) meat production, production is expected to increase the most by volume. Global ovine(sheep) meat production is also forecasted to increase mainly in Asia and Oceania. However, global pig meat production is expected to drop slightly, by -0.5%. Similarly, global bovine(cattle) meat production is expected to fall marginally. World trade in meat is expected to reach 42 million tonnes(carcass weight equivalent) slightly more than that of 2022. 

This article explores the changes in global meat production mainly comparing it to last year, 2022. While many know that meat production is a big part of Greenhouse Gas Emissions, many do not look into the amount that meat production itself changes year to year. This article explores the areas of meat production regarding total estimated meat production for this year. It then breaks down that total estimate into the different categories of meat production and explains a little of why each different meat type may be increasing or decreasing in production. The article also explores how world trade in meat and meat products has changed and compares it to last year. I was surprised to read that meat production and prices took a big spike last year in 2022 but this year, they increased only by a small percentage. Lower than last year and years prior. I was also interested to learn about different viruses that are currently affecting meat production such as the African swine fever virus in Europe. Prior to reading this article I knew nothing about viruses in food and how it affects meat production, other than Covid-19.

Casey, C. (2023, February 8). Tight supplies will lead to lower margins for meat producers in 2023: S&P report. FOODDIVE. Retrieved August 8, 2023, from https://www.fooddive.com/news/meat-supply-margins-2023-decrease-report/642046/

The meat industry is expected to face many challenges in 2023 and upcoming years. Due to high operating costs, droughts, supply chain disruptions, and tight livestock supply, meat producers such as JBS are expected to experience lower margins and reduced pricing control this year and going into 2024. Additionally, poultry producers like Tyson and Pilgrim’s Pride will face pressure from high feed costs and limited cold storage, though margins may improve during the summer grilling season. The profitability of these companies is likely to decrease, however their expanded product portfolio may reduce the impact of an economic downturn. The meat industry may continue to face difficulties as droughts and bad weather strains margins, and shifting demand dynamics create more uncertainty.

This article focuses on the economic side of the meat industry, highlighting the continued economic struggles facing meat producers and processors. These companies are experiencing lower margins as well as shifting demand dynamics, possibly these shifting demand dynamics may come from consumers decreasing meat consumption due to increased knowledge regarding the harmful effects of the meat industry on the environment. The economic difficulties these companies are facing may result in less overall meat production, as resources are reallocated to create other goods or services with better product margins. This decrease in overall meat production would help the environment as meat production is mostly harmful to it. I was interested in this article mainly because it focuses on the economic side of meat production. It gave me insight on how the market is doing and I started to speculate how the environmental impacts of meat production may be affected by shifting market situations.