What’s with all the Beef?
Written by: Lauren E. Schaefer
In the United States, beef is the most popular type of meat, most likely due to the fact that the beef industry is the largest single sector in agriculture. Annually, the typical american consumes approximately 56 pounds of beef (which is equivalent to 224 hamburgers), spending an average of $961. Additionally, 50 billion beef hamburgers are produced by fast food restaurants alone each year in the United States. In 2013, $16.6 billion worth of beef cuts among other various meats were exported out of the USA. The exploration of beef contributes more than $165 billion to the american economy annually. According to the graph above, the beef industry directly adds $883 thousand to funding employment, and $22 million to Labor Income for a total of $165 billion, as aforementioned. Based on these statistics, it may seem that beef production and consumption would be beneficial to our nation’s economy. After all, beef-based agricultural sites make up 35% of all american farm operations. Comparing that number to the 21.6 million jobs that the agriculture field currently contributes to the United States’ employment rate, beef-related operations makes up 2.3% of all jobs in america. In a mixed economy, more jobs is typically synonymous with economic prosperity. So what could possibly be the downfall of beef production and consumption for the american economy? Well, you might be surprised.
There are many factors that contribute to beef’s affect on the economy of the United States, including those stated above. However, there are more lesser known effects, which are unfortunately negative. The expense of raising cattle is much higher than most think. When it comes to raising any living thing, basic survival needs must be provided. However, in order to make sure the beef industry remains prosperous, making sure the cattle are merely surviving is not efficient. Like most things in life, there comes an opportunity cost. Ensuring good-quality beef requires high-level care. This means providing large plots of land for the cattle to roam, plentiful amounts of food and water for nutrition, and medical attention to the livestock, including vaccines. None of this comes at an easy price, and not just at a monetary value; It can cost us in other ways as well. Take the earth’s environmental health for example.
Raising cattle is not only incredibly expensive, but it is also extremely detrimental to our environment. As previously mentioned, cows need plentiful nourishment for the beef products to turn out well. For starters, enormous amounts of vegetation are grown for the sole purpose of feeding cattle, negatively affecting the agriculture industy’s economy. 41 million tons of crops and grains are harvested in the United States every year for the sole purpose of feeding livestock. That amount of harvest has the potential to feed up to 800 million people. Don’t forget about hydration! It takes 1799 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef. Yep that’s right, only one pound. Between the water needed for the cattle to drink, assist in the growth of crops, and help machinery that produces meat, it all adds up. To put that in perspective, the average cow weighs 2400 pounds. Now imagine how much water it takes to produce beef for an entire herd of cattle. To add on top of those environmental resource costs, “Cows also put out an enormous amount of methane, causing almost 10 percent of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and contributing to climate change.”, according to the New York Times. Although (as mentioned in the image above) some farmers are currently selectively breeding cows that produce less methane, it will take a long time for the effects to show. That amount of greenhouse gasses emitted by cattle outweighs the effect that cars have on the environment by far. Some may think that cattle’s affect on climate change and depletion of natural resources wouldn’t affect them economically, but in the long run, a domino effect occurs, and phenomenons such as global warming can create a large impact in the economy. For example; as more greenhouse gasses are emitted into the atmosphere, the average temperature increases due to the weakening of the ozone layer. This, in turn, leads to events such as increased amounts of natural disasters, sea levels rising, and abnormalities in seasonal changes, which eventually can cause economic distress.
Overall, although it may seem that the beef industry is helping our economy prosper, it may be more disadvantageous than beneficial. Now, I’m not saying that you should go vegan, or omit beef from your life entirely, but maybe next time you go grocery shopping, reach for the chicken rather than the beef on the shelf.
Works Cited
“(Infographic) The Economic Impact of the U.S. Beef Industry.” AgAmerica, 4 June 2019, agamerica.com/beef-cattle-industry-highlights-infographic/.
August 7, 1997. “U.S. Could Feed 800 Million People with Grain That Livestock Eat, Cornell Ecologist Advises Animal Scientists.” Cornell Chronicle, 7 Aug. 1997, news.cornell.edu/stories/1997/08/us-could-feed-800-million-people-grain-livestock-eat.
Carroll, Aaron E. “The Real Problem With Beef.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 1 Oct. 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/10/01/upshot/beef-health-climate-impact.html.
Cho, Renee, et al. “How Climate Change Impacts the Economy.” State of the Planet, 20 June 2019, blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2019/06/20/climate-change-economy-impacts/.
Edwards, Charlotte. “Breeding 'Super-Cows That Fart Less' Is Latest Plot to Stop Climate Apocalypse.” The Sun, The Sun, 5 July 2019, www.thesun.co.uk/tech/9443825/breeding-super-cows-less-methane/.
Kay, Steve. “Beef Industry Makes A Colossal Contribution To U.S. Economy.” Beef Magazine, 8 Oct. 2014, www.beefmagazine.com/blog/beef-industry-makes-colossal-contribution-us-economy.
Nierenberg, Danielle, et al. “Meat's Large Water Footprint: Why Raising Livestock and Poultry for Meat Is so Resource-Intensive.” Food Tank, 28 Nov. 2016, foodtank.com/news/2013/12/why-meat-eats-resources/.
“The Average American Spent Almost $1,000 on Meat in 2018.” HOME, www.rfdtv.com/story/41210269/the-average-american-spent-almost-1000-on-meat-in-2018.
This is so interesting! I never knew about how much the beef industry is worth, or how it can have both positive and negative affects on our environment
ReplyDeleteI had no idea how much raising cattle effected our economy! There are so many factors I didn't consider that you brought up in your article. I think that this shows a side of agriculture that most people don't think about but should be brought to more people's attention. I wonder if there is any way that the beef industry can improve in order to help the environment and eliminate the disadvantages.
ReplyDeleteThis is actually a really good read! I think it's important for everyone to know at least something on this topic, and it's good to make everyone aware of the good and bad effects this industry has on us
ReplyDeleteDo other meats have the same impacts on the environment as cow meats? What about turkey, pork, chicken, or meat alternatives? How would American culture change if people ate less beef and cow products? The overconsumption of red meats can have negative health impacts on an individual, including diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol. However, the stereotypical American is less concerned with their health than with instant gratification, which can come in the form of their favorite foods. I find it unlikely that anything will change in the near future; the beef industry is booming, and we will probably ignore any environmental repercussions until they can no longer be avoided. As long as beef is making American money, nothing will change.
ReplyDeleteThis was a very thoughtful post, and I appreciate that you wanted to touch on the beef industry's advantages and disadvantages in terms of the economy. I do not really eat meat, and learning more about how beef and meat in general negatively affect the environment definitely keeps me more away from meat. I think that if the beef industry was more transparent with American consumers, the demand for beef would decrease, and that's probably what is keeping such large industries from doing so. Instead, I think it's beneficial for Americans to understand their carbon footprint and fully realize how their choices affect the environment.
ReplyDeleteWow! The impact on beef and cattle upon our economy shocked me! I think it is so interesting that annually the average person consumes 56 pounds of beef! That is insane! I did not know about all of the negative effects cows can have on our agriculture and economy! If I did not read this article I would have had no idea how much cows effect the economy, and I feel like we should spread awareness of this cause!
ReplyDeleteI thought it was very interesting how you took a topic that seems pretty random to the naked eye in an economics class and turned it into a blog that tied things that we are learning in class and also making points on the other hand as well. These are the kinds of things that you don’t think about when you are eating a burger or taco in the kitchen and I will definitely be thinking about it now. It is very interesting how much the beef industry makes and that it is the leading agricultural product but how the production also affects the greenhouse gases and impact the economy is much wider than you would think of on a superficial level. You wouldn’t think that beef production can lead to global warming which can lead to even more problems down the road. Great job!
ReplyDeleteHow beef impacts the economy is very interesting. I knew about the negative environmental impacts, but I didn't know about how costly producing beef is. It's very interesting because for a long time, many people have told me to stop eating red meats because of how bad they are, but never explaining what is bad about them. Similarly, when I've traveled outside of the US, I have found that there are many countries that strongly argue against having beef in restaurants and I've always wondered why and this article answered those questions.
ReplyDeleteThe impact of beef on our economy is not something I've thought of before, but I've heard here and there of the environmental impact. Thanks to your post, I now know more about both of the impacts the beef industry has. Not only was this an interesting and informative read, I liked your pictures as well. They supported and added to your topic nicely. I also like how you added an alternative to beef at the end, chicken, instead of just talking about the harmful side effects.
ReplyDeleteTo see how just beef can effect a large part of our economy is very interesting to think about, and not necessarily something that everyone thinks about. I have heard of the vegan diet, but I thought the way you described it and how it is used among people was very cool to read about. Another thing you talk about that not many people think about is raising cattle, which I had no clue how expensive it was, and how it is detrimental to our environment. Lastly, I like how you wrap it up at the end saying that the beef industry is helping our economy prosper, and may even more disadvantageous than beneficial. I thought this was very good read!
ReplyDeleteI wasn't aware the impact that beef had on our economy. So many things were mentioned that I would have thought of when it came to this topic especially the how expensive producing beef is. Thank you for the images too! I took the time to look over the graphs and they really pull together the whole article.
ReplyDeleteYou did a great job portraying your claim. The fact that you used used statistics from both sides of the argument but then overshadowed the former part with other larger and more important ideas and statistics makes your argument even more compelling. It is also an interesting perspective to see our economy from this point of view. The fact that our pursuit for a better life through economic growth may, in turn, lead to a spiral of unfortunate events by our own hand. All that being said, I don't think the solution is as black and white as 'don't eat beef,' because it would be nearly impossible to get a majority of Americans on board with that. It may be plausible, however, to find ways to circumvent the issues such as in the diagram you provided. Finding a solution like this could also lead to solution across the meat industry.
ReplyDeleteThis is a really interesting article. I didn't know that cattle had such a huge impact on our economy. It's really incredible and shocking as to how much cattle effects our economy in ways that the average person wouldn't even know about unless told by someone. In addition, it was interesting to look at the graphics, pictures and graphs you put into this article and I really enjoyed reading the article as it was very interesting to read about.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't really sure what I was going to be reading but I really liked it. Especially at the end after you've given us all the facts, you added that you can't just be successful by providing the bare minimum for your cattle. Cows need a good green space and good food, I really like that you added in the medical care as well. I like that incorporated the benefits for the economy too, I know that's the base of this article but you really went into depth about it and now I have a whole new look into beef and the economy.
ReplyDeleteWhen I think about this topic I always think about some of my friends who chose to go vegetarian or vegan and this article really helped me understand why. I knew that it took a decent amount of resources to raise cattle but I didn't know it took that much water for only one pound of beef. I also really like how the article started off with facts about how beef is helping the economy but then overshadowed it with how the negative effects to the environment are more important than the what the beef industry gives to the economy.
ReplyDeleteThere are a lot of interesting details about the beef industry that I never knew in this blog. I’m very surprised at the amount of water, food, and money used on cows just for a single pound of beef. I’m also even more surprised about the methane gases they release and how it harms the environment. I would have never thought about that before. Though, what about other animals? Are other animals this expensive or harmful to the environment or is it just cows? Americans eat more meat than just beef so I would assume we would be using lots of money and water on other animals other than beef. If that's true, should we be reducing the amount of money and meat we make?
ReplyDeleteThere's one thing I question in your writing. You bring up how lots of food and water goes into producing these cows, and how these resources could be used to feed people or provide water. However, I'm not sure this negatively affects our economy. Realistically, the food these animals are consuming isn't just handed to the farmers: it's sold, in large quantities (maybe it could even be considered a commodity). This money goes back to the producers of the grain, who then use it to continue producing grain. I completely agree with the rest of our economic reasoning, it was just that part I questioned. Great read! Very engaging.
ReplyDeleteOnly you could make a blog post about BEEF (of all things) and make it economically authentic and relevant. Though I was aware of the harmful effects of methane on our environment from cattle, I didn't realize how prevalent it is today, and how important it will be in the future. You encouraged me to think about how I contribute to this issue, but also you made me think about cows in ways I never had before. Thinking about how cows impact our economy isn't a thought I expected to have today, but I'm glad I did.
ReplyDeleteI really like how you added the pictures to show some of your data as a backup to what you were saying and to make sure that we were knowing what you were saying is true. But also I didn't know that the amount of water, food, and money used on cows for just 1 pound of beef. Then I just have one more question, is there any other animals that are having this problem or is it just cows.
ReplyDeleteI did not know cows farts are dangerous, now i kno. The picture is very helpful to understand.
ReplyDeleteReasonably we can assume with this much evidence backing the detriment of cows to our environment that people would lean towards consuming less meat. However, even with the information, people do not seem to put much stake in the matter. What would you suggest would be the most effective method of motivating people to switch to alternative meats? More importantly, what would you suggest would be the most effective method of motivating farmers to switch to alternative meat?
ReplyDeleteI've never really considered just how impactful the raising of cattle can be on the economy. It's surprising just how much food and water are required to raise cows just for a small amount of beef.
ReplyDeleteThe amount of resources that it takes to produce beef is much higher than I had imagined, and you were just referring to US production. It's crazy to think about how the beef industry seems to only be benefiting our economy in the short run. I am interested but anxious to know how the negative impacts of the beef industry will look 20 to 30 years in the future. There's already a lot of talk about how environmentally damaging the industry is around the globe, with a large amount of the Amazon rain forest being deforested to make room for cattle pastures among other things.
ReplyDeleteAgreeing with John, who would have ever thought that the biological process of cow farts would be harmful to our environment. We typically see our own actions as ones that harm the environment. You also have to look at the market structure. Meat is such a demanded product that the big distributors can provide it and reel in the profit without worrying about the consequences. Similarly could be said about most mass produced products about the horrid pollution they produce.
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