Meat Demand May Decline

The USDA has released a report projecting that Americans will eat 12.2 percent less meat this year than they did in 2007. In response, agricultural trade publication The Daily Livestock Report speculates that the decline is due to more US meat products being exported abroad, which limits their domestic availability, along with higher costs of ethanol fuel. It additionally accuses the federal government of waging war on the meat industry for the past 40 years, with support from non-governmental activist organizations. In a recent blog post, NY Times food columnist Mark Bittman challenges The Daily Livestock Report’s conclusions, citing the rise of flexitarianism and the Meatless Monday movement as possible contributing factors.