There’s no doubt that in the US, beef is one of the staples of the traditional diet. Beef and veal are the second most popular meats after chicken, surpassing pork.
This might not come as much of a surprise, given that the US is the top beef producer in the world. But there are other intriguing facts about beef consumption that many may not know.
How Much Beef Does the Average American Eat Nowadays?
The most recent USDA Food Availability data (2019) shows that the average American eats about 55 pounds of beef annually. That’s about 0.15 lbs per day or 1lbs of beef per week.
You may be thinking, holy cow! That’s a lot of beef! And you’ll be right.
Other Stats About Beef Consumption in the US
There were times in US History when the cattle industry had a rep just as good as cultivating plants in agriculture, but nowadays, things are different. Due to media campaigns and recent scientific discoveries, many consumers today are red meat-phobic and highly invested in the content of their meals.
Undeniably, they’re changing their diets to take better care of their health, the environment, and, recently, their wallet as well. So, what does this mean for meat production trends?
Let’s take a look.
1. Beef consumption in the US has been on the decline since 1976.
(Sentient Media)
Historical data shows that the peak of beef consumption per capita in the US was 88.8 pounds per year in 1976. After this, the average beef consumption per person has steadily been falling.
The recent increase in prices of beef and the corn used to feed cows also contributes to the low demand for this meat.
2. Americans rank second globally for beef consumption by country.
(OECD) (Statista)
Not so long ago (2014), the US was fourth in beef consumption per capita. Today, they’re second with 57.5 lbs consumed. Argentinians are at the top of the list, with 81.4 lbs of beef and veal consumed per capita for 2021.
3. Average Americans eat about 11 cows in their lifetime!
(USAToday)
As per the group Vegetarian Calculator, the average American beef consumption per year amounts to 11 cows in a lifetime. According to them, the average meat-eaters consume about 7,000 animals throughout the course of their lives.
4. 46% of American beef consumption falls to ground beef.
(ISU)
US consumers eat about 27 lbs of ground beef per capita which accounts for almost half of all beef meat sales.
5. Global beef consumption stagnates in comparison to chicken.
(Statista)
Global beef consumption increased from 48 million tons in 1990 to 71.5 million tons in 2021. This means 23.5 million Ibs more in three decades. In comparison, poultry meat consumption went up by almost 100 million tons in the same period.
6. Beef production emits 18% of all greenhouse gases globally.
(Clean Air Council)
Beef industry statistics show that it’s responsible for almost a fifth of the climate-altering gases in the planet’s atmosphere. UN data points to ammonia, methane, CO2, and other pollutants.
7. Each year, about 41 million cows are slaughtered to produce beef.
(Sentient Media) (Statista)
The US is the biggest beef producer in the world, but exports-wise, Brazil is the global leader. US beef production in 2021 reached 27.95 billion lbs.
8. Over 26% of all the meat in the US market gets wasted.
(Animal Outlook)
Slaughterhouses in the US kill about a hundred million livestock animals that we don’t get to eat. A big part of these is mishandled by transporting companies or stay on the shelves of stores for too long.
Eliminating just some of this food waste will save countless innocent lives of cattle. What’s more, it’ll save precious water used in production. More precisely, every 2.2 lbs (1kg) of wasted beef means 13209 gallons (50,000 liters) of wasted water!
Conclusion
Americans are eating less beef each coming year. With an increasing number of people switching to vegetarian and vegan lifestyles, this is excellent news for the environment and the animals.
This trend will continue unless there’s a sustainable reform in the whole meat industry that will also offer a better value product health-wise.
