The United States is a meat-eating nation — one of the biggest consumers in the world — and is chewing its way toward its highest per-capita consumption since the recession of 2008-09. The USDA estimates Americans will consume an average 214.7 pounds per person of red meat and poultry this year, an increase of 3.8 pounds per person from last year due to larger livestock production.
The last time consumption was this large, an average of 9.4 ounces per person per day, was in 2008, when the recession was beginning to force meat out of the U.S. diet. Americans consumed more than 221 pounds of meat annually from 2004-07, falling to 216 pounds in 2008.
Per-capita consumption hit a low of 202.1 pounds per person in 2014, when meat supplies were tight and prices were record-high in the grocery store. The rebound began last year, when consumption averaged 211.1 pounds.
In its monthly WASDE report, the USDA raised its forecasts for meat production to 97.4 billion pounds, up more than 3 billion pounds from 2015. Nearly 16 percent of U.S. meat is exported and a small portion of the U.S. meat supply is imported, so in the end, Americans would consume a cumulative 86.8 billion pounds.
Data from OECD say Australia had the highest meat consumption rate in the world, 93 kg, and the United States was second, with 91.1 kg in 2013.