Meat Statistics

Population Growth

Carrying capacity

-Each ecosystem has a carrying capacity for each of its organisms

-The carrying capacity is how large of a population that ecosystem can support

-K stands for carrying capacity

-A J-Curve represents exponential growth

-An S-Curve is when exponential growth evens out with its carrying capacity

-An S-Curve represents logistic growth

Humans will hit 10 billion by 2050

Human Population Growth

Video

Why not eat insects?

What It Takes To Make A Quarter-Pound Hamburger

From the North American Meat Institute

Feeding 326 Million Americans

The meat and poultry industry is the largest segment of U.S. agriculture. U.S. meat production totaled 52 billion pounds in 2017 and U.S. poultry production totaled 48 billion pounds in 2017.

In 2017, the meat and poultry industry processed:

9 billion chickens

32.2 million cattle and calves

241.7 million turkeys

2.2 million sheep and lambs

121 million hogs

In 2017, American meat companies produced:

26.3 billion pounds of beef

25.6 billion pounds of pork

5.9 billion pounds of turkey

80.2 million pounds of veal

150.2 million pounds lamb and mutton

42.2 billion pounds of chicken

Top Livestock and Poultry Slaughtering States

Cattle - Nebraska, Kansas, Texas, Colorado, California, Wisconsin, Washington, Pennsylvania

Hog - Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania

Chicken - Georgia, Arkansas, Alabama

Turkey - Minnesota, North Carolina, Arkansas

In Fiscal Year 2018, there were 835 federally inspected, livestock slaughter plants in the U.S. An additional 3,773 plants process red meat, but do not slaughter. There were 2,979 federally inspected poultry slaughter and processing plants in the U.S.

Feeding Us Essential Nutrients

The 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, recommend eating 5.7 ounces of meat per day as part of a healthy, balanced diet.

There are at least:

29 cuts of beef
6 cuts of pork
And numerous poultry cuts that are leaner and have less calories than a 3 oz. serving of salmon

A 3-oz. serving of lean meat provides about 160-200 calories plus significant amounts of many key nutrients such as protein. These proteins contain all 9 essential amino acids needed for growth and good overall health, making meat a "complete" protein.

Meat is also a great source for iron, magnesium, zinc, niacin, selenium, riboflavin and B-vitamins that help your body turn food into energy.

New studies show meat can aid in weight loss by providing a sense of satisfaction that helps to control appetite and metabolize food more efficiently.

Feeding our Economy

In 2017, employees working in meat packing and processing plants on average earned $14.98 per hour plus benefits, while employees in poultry processing plants earned $13.58 per hour, plus benefits.

According to a 2016 analysis by John Dunham & Associates, the U.S. meat and poultry industry accounts for $1.02 trillion in total economic output or 5.6 percent of gross domestic product (GDP)

The meat and poultry industry broadly is responsible for 5.4 million jobs and $257 billion in wages, the report found. An estimated 527,019 people have jobs in production and packing, importing operations, sales, packaging and direct distribution of meat and poultry products.

Feeding the World

CHECK: The U.S. 1.26 million metric tons (MT*) of beef and beef variety meat in 2017. Export value of beef and beef variety meat exports reached a record $7.27 billion in 2017.

On a volume and value basis, the top four markets for U.S. beef in 2017 were Japan, South Korea, Mexico and Hong Kong.

The U.S. exported 2.45 million MT of pork and pork variety meat in 2017, breaking the 2016 record by 6 percent. Annual total pork shipments were valued at $6.49 billion, up 9% from 2016.

The top markets for U.S. pork in terms of volume and value in 2017 were Mexico, Japan and South Korea.

The U.S. exported 3.7 million MT of poultry and poultry variety meats in 2017. The value was estimated at $4.5 billion.

Exports in 2017 accounted for 26.6 percent of U.S. pork production and 12.9 percent of beef production.

*1 MT=2204.6 lbs

Fast Facts

Average Meat Consumption in the U.S.

American men on average eat 4.8 ounces of meat per day and women eat 3.13 ounces of meat per day. (Source: What We Eat in America, NHANES 2015-2016).

Americans spend less than any other developed nation in the world on food broadly and on meat and poultry specifically.

Percent of Disposable Income Spent on Food at Home

93.7 Million Cows in the US 2018

From National Cattleman's Beef Association

Beef Industry Overview

Most unique and complex lifecycle of any food, includes variety of segments
Takes 2-3 years to bring beef from farm to fork
2016 Forecasted Economic impact: $67.56 billion in farm cash receipts for cattle and calves¹

Evolution of Beef Industry

The U.S. beef production system used to be inefficient- cattle were moved around based on the location of grass at any given time
The first widespread early cattle feedyards in the nation were built by cottonseed oil-mill operators in the 1850s to utilize mill by-products
Around 1914, due to a drop in number of cattle, we started feeding cattle at earlier age, which resulted in higher-quality meat

U.S. Beef Community

Average age of a principle beef cattle rancher is 58.3²
913,246 total cattle & calf operations². Of these:
- 727,906 are beef farms and ranches. Of these:
  - 91% are family-owned or individually-operated
  - 11% are operated by women
- 26,586 are engaged in cattle feedlot production. Of these:
  - 80% are family owned or individually operated
  - 5% are operated by women
- 64,098 are milk cow operations
All Cattle and Calves
- 94.4 million - 1% increase from 2017 (93.7 million)
All Cattle on Feed
- 14 million - 7% increase from 2017 (13.1 million)
  - >1000 head capacity - 82% of cattle on feed, 1% increase from 2017
Cows: Beef Cows
- Beef: 31.7 million - 2% increase from 2017
- Dairy: 9.4 million - 1% increase from 2017
Cows and Heifers that Calved
- 41.1 million - 1% increase from 2017 (40.6 million)
2017 Calf Crop
- The 2017 calf crop in the United States was estimated at 35.8 million head, up 2% from last year's calf crop. Calves born during the first half of 2017 were estimated at 26 million head, up 2% from the first half of 2016. Calves born during the second half of 2017 were estimated at 9.81 million head, 27 percent of the total 2017 calf crop.
- The combined total of calves under 500 pounds and other heifers and steers over 500 pounds (outside of feedlots) is 26.1 million head, 2% percent below on year ago.
Heifers over 500lbs
- 20.2 million - 1% increase from 2017
Steers over 500lbs
- 16.4 million
Bulls over 500lbs
- 2.25 million
Calves under 500lbs
- 14.4 million
Slaughter
- Commercial Slaughter: 32.2 million
  - Calf: 512,300
- Federally Inspected Slaughter: 31.7 million
  - Steer: 16.77 million
  - Heifer: 8.6 million
  - Cow: 5.77 million
  - Bull: 550,200
  - Calf: 503,400
- Federally Inspected Beef Production: 25.86 million

Top 5 States

All Cattle
- Texas: 12.5 million - 2% increase
- Nebraska: 6.8 million - 5% increase
- Kansas: 6.3 million - 2% increase
- California: 5.2 million - 1% increase
- Oklahoma: 5.1 million - 2% increase
Cows and Heifers that have Calved
- Texas: 5.1 million - 3% increase
- California: 2.4 million - no change
- Missouri: 2.25 million - 5% increase
- Oklahoma: 2.17 million - 2% increase
- Nebraska: 1.97 million - 1% decrease
Beef Cows that have Calved
- Texas: 4.59 million - 3% increase
- Missouri: 2.17 million - 5% increase
- Oklahoma: 2.13 million - 2% increase
- Nebraska: 1.91 million - 1% decrease
- South Dakota: 1.8 million - 8% increase
Dairy Cows that have Calved
- California: 1.74 million - 1% decrease
- Wisconsin: 1.28 million - no change
- New York: 625,000 - 1% increase
- Idaho: 600,000 - no change
- Pennsylvania: 525,000 - no change
Calf Crop
- Texas: 4.4 million
- Missouri: 2 million
- Oklahoma: 1.95 million
- California: 1.88 million
- South Dakota: 1.84 million
Cattle on Feed
- Nebraska: 2.77 million - 12% increase
- Texas: 2.65 million - 9% increase
- Kansas: 2.45 million - 7% increase
- Iowa: 1.26 million - 9% increase
- Colorado: 1 million - 6% increase
Of the 30,219 feedlots those with less than 1,000 head of capacity compose the vast majority of U.S. feedlots (93%).⁵
As of January 1 2016 of the 13.1 million head on feed, feedlots with greater than 1,000 head capacity account for 81% of all cattle on feed.⁵
The amount of beef consumed in the U.S. (i.e. purchased by consumers in foodservice and retail) in 2016 was 25.668 billion pounds.¹
The amount of beef consumed in the U.S. Per Capita 55.7 lbs.
Average price of USDA Choice beef sold in retail in 2016 was $5.96/lb down from $6.29/lb in 2015.¹
Value of U.S. beef exports (including variety meat) in 2016: $6.343 billion, up from $6.302 billion in 2015.⁶
Volume of beef export: 1,187,050 (metric tons) in 2016 up from 1,067,614 (metric tons) in 2015. ⁶
Top U.S. Beef Export Markets (including variety meat) for 2017
- Japan: 307,559 metric tons; $1,890 million
- Mexico: 237,972 metric tons; $980 million
- South Korea: 184,152 metric tons; $1,220 million
- Canada: 116,561 metric tons; $796 million
- Hong Kong: 130,728 metric tons; $884 million
- Taiwan: 44,800 metric tons; $410 million

¹U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service, 2016

²U.S. Department of Agriculture, Census of Agriculture, 2012

³Livestock Marketing Information Center, Jan. 1, 2016

⁴CattleFax Data 2016

⁵CME Group Daily Livestock Report 2016

⁶U.S. Meat Export Federation 2016