Disease And Drought Curb Meat Consumption

This report summarizes trends in the global production and consumption of meat products. While meat consumption continues at a high level, its rate of increase slowed in 2011, increasing just under a percentage point, compared to 2.6% in 2010. Meat consumption also decreased in 2011. The authors point to drought and an increase of zoonotic diseases associate with concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs).

Meat production rose to 297 million tons globally in 2011 and is expected to grow to 302 million tons in 2012. The rate of growth in 2011 was .8%, much lower than in former years. Meat consumption decreased in 2011 as well. Overall, though, meat production and consumption has seen large growth in recent years with global production growing 20% since 2001 and global per capital consumption increasing by 15% since 1995.

Recent decrease in production rate and consumption is attributed to both drought and zoonotic diseases. There have been droughts in China, Russia, the United States, and the Horn of Africa in 2010 and 2011 increasing the cost of meat products. Further, 76% of all meat is produced in CAFOs. Because of the intense confinement and overcrowding in these situations there is an increase of zoonotic diseases.

An article addressing the findings can be found here.