Rising Demand for Meat

Appetite for meat is growing as the developing world becomes more prosperous. But meat—especially beef-can be polarizing, on health, environmental, and ethical grounds. Chicken outpaced beef in the U.S. in 2010. Total U.S. meat consumption peaked in the mid-2000’s and has declined ever since. Argentina’s famous appetite for beef has fallen because of cholesterol consciousness and economic downturns. In countries where meat is a newly affordable option, animal protein is a boon, not a debate. But by 2050, when the world’s population is expected to surpass nine billion, crop production will need to double to provide feed for livestock as well as direct human consumption.