20 Statistics That Prove The Livestock Industry Is Expanding
I get a lot of responses from vegans that go something like this: “You’re just an outdated figurine of the animal agriculture industry trying to save your dying profession. Veganism is the future and there’s nothing you can do to stop it.”
To this, I usually respond that strictly plant-based lifestyles constitute a whopping 2% of the developed world… while 10% of the population that has tried a diet without animal products… reverted back to omnivorism. Surveys show that 86% of vegetarians and 70% of vegans return to eating meat at some point in their lives. “A lot of people do fall for your lies,” I’ll say encouragingly to the attacking vegans. But the ones with common sense listen to their bodies and bring back in meat, milk, and eggs after experiencing the very real health risks of going without. |
Another point I always hit on is that all branches of agriculture are inter-connected, and the growing of their fruits, veggies, and grains would be cut into if there was no more livestock production. Perhaps the best example of this is livestock manure being used as natural fertilizer. Because of its environmental benefits, it’s heavily relied on in organic operations, but it’s also the slow-release fertilizer of choice on a great deal of conventional farms as well.
However, in the back of my mind, I was always concerned that they were right. Was the demand for livestock products declining? Were they convincing more and more people to take up their lifestyle of lies and somehow making it stick? I did a little research, and was not surprised that they are absolutely wrong about this, as well! The livestock industry is actually growing at impressive rates, and here are 20 statistics to prove it:
*Foreword: For this post, I am focusing on America and Australia, because those are the two nations where veganism has grown the most, and also Canada, because that’s where many of my followers are from. If you would like to see statistics for a different country, please let me know and I can do a follow-up post about it.
However, in the back of my mind, I was always concerned that they were right. Was the demand for livestock products declining? Were they convincing more and more people to take up their lifestyle of lies and somehow making it stick? I did a little research, and was not surprised that they are absolutely wrong about this, as well! The livestock industry is actually growing at impressive rates, and here are 20 statistics to prove it:
*Foreword: For this post, I am focusing on America and Australia, because those are the two nations where veganism has grown the most, and also Canada, because that’s where many of my followers are from. If you would like to see statistics for a different country, please let me know and I can do a follow-up post about it.
1. There were 1.8% more cattle in America in 2017 than there were in 2016
2. Beef exports out of America rose 10% in terms of metric tons transported 3. The average American eats 55.7 lbs of beef every year 4. 58% of Australian farms have cattle 5. From 2010-2017, beef exports out of Australia rose 20% in terms of metric tons transported |
6. In the US, beef and veal consumption is projected to grow by 1.32% per capita, pork 2.35%, chicken 1.31%, and turkey 1.12%. The only meat commodity expected to drop is lamb and mutton.
7. Canada produced 3% more chickens and 1.3% more turkeys in 2016 than in 2015
8. American chicken sales rose 9% from 2013 to 2014
9. US turkey production rose 4% from 2015 to 2016
10. Australian poultry production is expected to rise 2.7% every year
11. 3.7% more liters of milk were produced in 2015 than in 2014 in Australia
12. American milk production grew 1.8% from May 2016 to May 2017
13. 3.7% more dairy was produced in Australia in 2014 than in 2013
14. Canadians consumed 2.9% more fluid milk and 5.5% more cheese in 2016 than in 2015
15. The American pork industry is projected to expand 3.5% in 2018
16. Canada pork production grew 10.7% from 2014 to 2015
17. Australia had 1.4% more pigs and 4% more pork in May of 2017 than they did in May of 2016
18. Table egg production in America rose 3.3% from 2016 to 2017
19. Canada egg production grew 2.7% from 2016 to 2015
20. Egg consumption per Australian grew 4.1% from 2014 to 2015
Sources:
Canada, Government Of Canada Statistics. "Production of Poultry, by Province." Government of Canada, Statistics Canada.
Canada, 30 May 2017. Web. 23 July 2017.
"Consumption of Dairy Products - Canadian Dairy Information Centre (CDIC)." Government of Canada;Canadian Dairy
Information Centre. Canada, 16 May 2017. Web. 23 July 2017.
"Fast Facts Australia's Beef Industry 2016." MLA. Meat & Livestock Australia Limited, Sept. 2016. Web. 23 July 2017.
Haley, Mildred, and Keithly Jones. "Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Outlook." ERS USDA. USDA, 18 July 2017. Web. 23 July 2017.
"Industry Facts and Figures :: ACMF." ACMF RSS. Australia Chicken Meat Federation Inc., n.d. Web. 23 July 2017.
"Main Features - Main Features." Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian Government. Commonwealth of Australia, 6 July 2017.
Web. 23 July 2017.
"Milk." Dairy Australia. Dairy Australia, July 2005. Web. 23 July 2017.
"Per Capita Disappearance." Market and Industry Services Branch;Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada;Government of Canada.
Canada, 23 June 2017. Web. 23 July 2017.
"Statistics & Information." USDA ERS - Statistics & Information. USDA ERS, 18 Apr. 2017. Web. 23 July 2017.
"USDA POULTRY PRODUCTION DATA." USDA. USDA, May 2015. Web. 23 July 2017.
7. Canada produced 3% more chickens and 1.3% more turkeys in 2016 than in 2015
8. American chicken sales rose 9% from 2013 to 2014
9. US turkey production rose 4% from 2015 to 2016
10. Australian poultry production is expected to rise 2.7% every year
11. 3.7% more liters of milk were produced in 2015 than in 2014 in Australia
12. American milk production grew 1.8% from May 2016 to May 2017
13. 3.7% more dairy was produced in Australia in 2014 than in 2013
14. Canadians consumed 2.9% more fluid milk and 5.5% more cheese in 2016 than in 2015
15. The American pork industry is projected to expand 3.5% in 2018
16. Canada pork production grew 10.7% from 2014 to 2015
17. Australia had 1.4% more pigs and 4% more pork in May of 2017 than they did in May of 2016
18. Table egg production in America rose 3.3% from 2016 to 2017
19. Canada egg production grew 2.7% from 2016 to 2015
20. Egg consumption per Australian grew 4.1% from 2014 to 2015
Sources:
Canada, Government Of Canada Statistics. "Production of Poultry, by Province." Government of Canada, Statistics Canada.
Canada, 30 May 2017. Web. 23 July 2017.
"Consumption of Dairy Products - Canadian Dairy Information Centre (CDIC)." Government of Canada;Canadian Dairy
Information Centre. Canada, 16 May 2017. Web. 23 July 2017.
"Fast Facts Australia's Beef Industry 2016." MLA. Meat & Livestock Australia Limited, Sept. 2016. Web. 23 July 2017.
Haley, Mildred, and Keithly Jones. "Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Outlook." ERS USDA. USDA, 18 July 2017. Web. 23 July 2017.
"Industry Facts and Figures :: ACMF." ACMF RSS. Australia Chicken Meat Federation Inc., n.d. Web. 23 July 2017.
"Main Features - Main Features." Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian Government. Commonwealth of Australia, 6 July 2017.
Web. 23 July 2017.
"Milk." Dairy Australia. Dairy Australia, July 2005. Web. 23 July 2017.
"Per Capita Disappearance." Market and Industry Services Branch;Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada;Government of Canada.
Canada, 23 June 2017. Web. 23 July 2017.
"Statistics & Information." USDA ERS - Statistics & Information. USDA ERS, 18 Apr. 2017. Web. 23 July 2017.
"USDA POULTRY PRODUCTION DATA." USDA. USDA, May 2015. Web. 23 July 2017.