The U.S. appetite for meat continues to grow. Ten years ago, Americans consumed an average of 200 pounds of meat per person annually. This year, it will be a record 227.6 pounds, thanks to larger pork and poultry supplies, before ebbing next year.
The USDA estimates per capita meat consumption of 226.1 pounds in 2025, equal to 9.9 ounces a day. Poultry, and broiler chickens in particular, account for slightly more than half of U.S. meat consumption. Beef is 25 percent and pork is 22 percent.
“Broilers make up the largest share of meat disappearance per capita, and per capita broiler consumption is projected to increase from 101.3 pounds in 2024 to 102.0 pounds in 2025,” said the USDA’s monthly Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Outlook report on Thursday. “However, this increase is not enough to completely substitute for losses in beef, pork, and turkey consumption. Total per capita consumption of red meat and poultry is projected to decrease by 1.6 pounds, to 226.1 pounds, in 2025.”