FARM-USA sent out a newsletter in March congratulating itself that, as it noted, “Meatout Observance Smashes Past Records”. According to the newsletter,
Activists came out in droves in observance of the 20th Anniversary of the Great American Meatout, setting a new record for participation. Records were also set for number of proclamations issued and number of billboards placed. All 50 states and 23 other countries were represented. Thanks for making this Meatout observance the best yet!
. . .
Hundreds of billboards and bus cards are carrying the Meatout message in Baltimore, Dallas, Denver, Eugene, Hartford, Los Angeles, New Haven, Oakland, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Tampa, Vancouver, and Washington (D). Celebrity entertainers like Casey Kasem, Mary Tyler Moore, Joaquin Phoenix, Rue McClanahan, James Cromwell, and Bill Maher headlined this year’s special observance.
Of course something else hit a new record as well — worldwide meat production in 2004 reached an estimated 257.6 million metric tons, up from 253.3 metric tons in 2003. Meat production is forecast to take a big leap forward in 2005 thanks to improving economic conditions, with an estimated 264.7 metric tons produced this year.
Or just stick to the United States. Twenty years ago, when the Great American Meatout began, annual per capita consumption of red meat, fish and poultry stood at 181.7 pounds. In 2003, per capita consumption of red meat, fish and poultry stood at 234 pounds.
In the intervening 20 years since activists have been holding their Meatouts, meat consumption increased by 22 percent.
But hey, they’ve got proclamations!
Sources:
FARM Campaign Update. March 2005.
April 2005 Meat Market Assessment. Food and Agricultural Organization, April 2005.