25 Gripping Meat Industry Statistics and Facts for 2020

Millions of people throughout the world consume meat products as part of their daily diet, whether it’s fast food or as a healthy lifestyle choice. The following meat industry statistics show how the sale and production of meat is, in fact, a growing industry. 

In the following article, you will find general stats and facts about the industry of meat in the United States and throughout the world. You’ll gain information on how meat is produced and how many people are employed by this industry globally and locally. You’ll also be given some information on its effects on the environment. 

The Top 10 Meat Industry Facts and Stats

• Out of all processed meat, chicken is the most popular around the world. 
• In 2016, the global value of processed meat was around $714 billion. 
• Meat and poultry production make the majority of agriculture in the United States. 
• In 2017, the export of meat from the United States was valued at $7.27 billion. 
• The United States produces the most beef out of all countries in the world. 
• In 1961, the production of cattle worldwide was around 28 million tonnes per year. 
• According to meat industry statistics, around 26,767 billion pounds of beef was consumed by the United States in 2018. 
• Various types of water pollution arise from animal agriculture and factory farming methods that need to be addressed. 
• In 2017, employees that worked in meatpacking and processing plants earned around $14.98 hourly, as well as benefits.  
• $1.02 trillion was the total economic output of the US meat and poultry industry in 2016. 

General Meat Industry Stats and Facts

These facts and stats will show you interesting information about the industry that produces and sells meat, both in the United States and throughout the world. It’s important information based on data gathered from reliable sources. 

1. In 2016, the global value of processed meat was around $714 billion. 

(Statista)

It is estimated that, by 2022, the value of processed meat worldwide will be around $1.5 trillion. 

2. Out of all processed meat, chicken is the most popular around the world, according to meat production statistics. 

(Statista)

Poultry has a 38% share of the global processed meat market, while beef has a 33% share of the same market. 

3. Asia produces the majority of meat in the world. 

(Statista)

In 2016, Asia was responsible for meat amounting to 140 million metric tons. This consisted of mostly pork and poultry, as they were the most popular. It would appear that sheep meat is the least popular. 

4. Meat and poultry production make the majority of agriculture in the United States. 

(Meat Institute)

In 2017 alone, the country produced 52 billion pounds of meat and 48 billion pounds of poultry. 

5. When it comes to global meat consumption in 2018, around 26,767 billion pounds of beef was consumed by the United States as a country. 

(NCBA)

Overall, around 57.2 pounds of beef were consumed per capita in the United States in that year. 

6. In 2017, the export of meat from the United States was valued at $7.27 billion. 

(Meat Institute)

Poultry exports in that same year were valued at $4.5 billion. 

7. The United States produces the most beef out of all countries in the world, according to meat production stats.  

(Beef2Live)

The country produces 20% of all beef produced globally. Brazil produces the second-largest amount at 15%, and the European Union produces around 13% of the global beef supply. 

8. The top producer of beef in the United States is Tyson Foods. 

(Motley Fool)

The other three companies that contribute to the majority of beef production in the country are Cargill, JBS USA, and National Beef. These are just some of the many different meat companies that operate within the United States. 

Meat Industry Facts and Statistics

If you want to know more information on the production of meat throughout the world and locally in the United States, this is the section you’re looking for. Here, you will be given some interesting data on the production of meat, including beef, poultry, pork, and others. 

9. Globally, around 80 billion animals are slaughtered for the production of meat. 

(Our World in Data)

This includes beef, poultry, pork, and sheep. The meat is then exported from various countries around the world, and the trade contributes greatly to varying economies. This is a supply and demand scenario where the meat is produced to meet the growing needs of the world, meat consumption statistics reveal.  

10. In 1961, the production of cattle worldwide was around 28 million tonnes per year. 

(Our World in Data)

In 2014, cattle production amounted to around 68 million tonnes. That’s a huge increase in the production of cattle meat in just over five decades. 

11. Texas produces the most beef out of all the states in the US. 

(Beef2Live)

After Texas, the two states that produce almost as much beef are Nebraska and Kansas. Texas has always been a state that produces a lot of beef, especially if you look at the history of meat consumption in America and where the meat comes from. 

12. Meat companies in the United States produce around 25.8 billion pounds of beef every year. 

(NBC News)

In addition to beef, the country produces pork (23.2 billion pounds), chicken (38.4 billion pounds), turkey (5.8 billion pounds), as well as lamb, veal, and mutton (286 million pounds). 

13. In 2014, around one-quarter of the pork produced in the United States was exported. 

(NBC News)

The US produced around 24 billion pounds of the meat, and 60% was made into sausage, bacon, and similar products. 

Meat Industry Employment Statistics

The meat production industry employs millions of people all over the world to work in the agricultural sector and in the packing and sale of meat products. This industry greatly contributes to many different economies around the world. 

14. $1.02 trillion was the total economic output of the US meat and poultry industry in 2016. 

(Meat Institute)

This made up around 5.6% of the gross domestic product in that year in the United States. 

15. In 2017, employees that worked in meat packing and processing plants earned around $14.98 hourly, as well as benefits.  

(Meat Institute)

Those working with poultry earned around $13.58 hourly. This information on meat industry jobs is from 2017. The employees were also working for benefits as well as an hourly wage. 

16. The US meat and poultry industry provides around 5.4 million jobs. 

(Meat Institute)

That amounts to around $257 billion spent in wages to employees of the businesses in the industry. 

17. Globally, animal agriculture and farming employ around 26% of the world’s workers. 

(The Guardian)

While we’re no longer living in a world that relies on farming more than any other industry, agriculture is still a big part of the global economy. 

Meat Industry Environmental Impact

In 2020, we cannot afford to sit back and not think about the environment. Meat production affects the environment, especially through modern factory farming methods. We must know how the production of meat affects the environment so that we can try to come up with solutions that better the state of the earth. 

18. It takes around 4,000 gallons of water to make 2 pounds of beef. 

(The Guardian)

For chicken, around 1,100 gallons of water are used to create two pounds of poultry. And it takes 1,600 gallons of water to make two pounds of pork. This is a clear example of the relationship between the meat industry and climate change. 

19. Various types of water pollution arise from animal agriculture and factory farming methods. 

(The Guardian) 

These include nutrient pollution, sediment, pesticides, pathogens, emerging pollutants, and organic matter pollution. All these various types of pollution greatly affect the quality of the water, making it unhealthy and, ultimately, toxic. 

20. Globally, livestock create 13 billion tons of waste matter every year. 

(The World Counts)

This is one of the many meat industry problems that we are faced with. What to do with this waste is a huge environmental issue, and there are no solid solutions that are beneficial to the environment as a whole. 

21. Gases emitted from cattle, make up 18% of the greenhouse gas emissions in the world. 

(The World Counts)

This is a large number of greenhouse gases simply from raising livestock. In fact, this 18% is larger than the number of emissions that come from transport. It cannot be ignored that this is a huge environmental problem that needs to be addressed in the coming years. 

Meat Consumption Statistics

If you want to know how much meat is consumed, who is consuming it, and where it is being consumed, you will soon have your answers. Here, you will find a selection of facts and statistics that show trends in the worldwide consumption of meat. 

22. In 2016, 115 million tons of poultry were consumed throughout the world.  

(Statista)

In that same year, 115 million tons of pork and 66 million tons of beef and veal were consumed globally. 

23. Global beef consumption was at 63 million tons in 2010, and by 2017, it was at 67 million tons, according to meat industry statistics. 

(Statista)

It is estimated that by 2021, the world will be consuming around 72 million tons of beef. 

24. In 2016, the country that consumed the most beef was Uruguay. 

(Beef2Live)

Argentina consumed the second-largest amount of beef, and Hong Kong came in third for most beef consumed. All three of these countries consumed more than 100 pounds of beef per capita. 

25. In 2017, Israel was the country that consumed the most poultry per capita than any other country. 

(Helgi Library)

The United States was the country that consumed the second-largest amount of poultry per capita. 

FAQs

How much is the meat industry worth?

If you look at beef industry statistics, the United States exports a lot of meat to other countries around the world. In 2017, the US exported beef and beef style meat to the value of $7.27 billion. The meat industry in the USA is huge, and the production of meat contributes greatly to the economy. 

In addition to beef, other US meats that were exported included pork and poultry. Pork to the value of $6.49 billion was exported in 2017. In that same year, poultry to the value of $4.5 billion was exported from the US. 

How much is the meat industry worth globally?

In 2018, the global meat sector held a value of $945.7 billion. If you look at US beef consumption alone, this number will start to make sense as the beef industry is huge and makes only a portion of the overall industry. 

The amount of meat consumed by country throughout the world is quite large, and the sale of meat contributes greatly to various economies around the globe. The beef cattle industry alone is worth billions.  

It is estimated that the global meat sector will be worth around $1142.9 billion by the year 2023. This shows how valuable it is to be an international meat company in the world right now. 

Is the meat industry growing?

The worldwide industry of meat is growing and continues to grow. The amount of meat consumed throughout the world has grown by four times in the past five decades. Currently, the world produces an excess of 320 million tonnes of meat every year, and that is thought to be a growing number. 

The beef and cattle industry, as well as the other meat industries, continue to grow as the earth’s population increases. Around 80 billion animals are killed for food every single year. Despite a global movement emerging that supports a plant-based diet, the production and sale of meat continue to rise. 

Conclusion

The meat industry statistics show that the production and sale of meat around the world are not slowing down. While many people are moving towards a plant-based diet, the industry is still thriving throughout the world. However, we can’t ignore that factory farming practices are affecting the environment, and the world does need to take notice and create environmentally friendly solutions. 

Sources: 

• Beef2Live
• Beef2Live
• Beef2Live
• Helgi Library
• Meat Institute
• Motley Fool
• NBC News
• NCBA
• Our World in Data
• Statista
• Statista
• Statista
• The Guardian
• The World Counts