In October 2015, The World Health Organization released a report, classifying red meat and
processed meats as cancer risks.
Although the link between processed meat consumption and cancer has been documented before, this
marks the first time it has been listed alongside tobacco and asbestos as carcinogenic.
The reclassification goes against the American meat industry’s long history of promoting
legislation to alter dietary guidelines in their favor.
So we wanted to know, just how powerful is the meat industry?
Well, overall, meat has been estimated to contribute nearly a trillion dollars to the
US economy, roughly 6% of the GDP.
Worldwide, livestock used for meat are actually responsible for more greenhouse emissions
than even cars.
But despite this, the massive flood of cash and jobs has made the meat lobby one of the
most influential legislative groups in Washington.
In 2014, they spent more than 4 million dollars lobbying Congress.
By comparison, gun control advocates spent less than half that amount.
The meat industry has also been closely tied to the US Department of Agriculture, which
releases dietary guidelines for Americans.
Understandably, the relationship between meat manufacturers and the US government has many
questioning whether those guidelines are actually in Americans’ best interests.
Especially considering that the USDA even runs programs which are intended to fund advertising
for meat and dairy.
The Atlantic reports that at least since 1977, efforts by the USDA to suggest decreasing
meat consumption have been repeatedly derailed.
Due to pressure from the meat industry, instead of telling consumers to eat less, they have
been told to eat more “lean” meats.
But the overall recommended amount of meat has been kept relatively steady over the past
few years.
This, despite the fact that Americans on average actually consume more protein than they need.
Eating less meat overall would lower both fat and protein consumption, but for the meat
industry, that might be their worst nightmare.
And that’s not because Americans themselves follow USDA guidelines all that strictly.
American meat consumption has already been dropping over the past two decades.
Rather, these guidelines are most utilized by federal feeding programs, like those used
in schools and prisons.
A lower recommended amount of meat would translate to a massive financial loss for suppliers.
But the meat industry hasn’t just influenced the USDA to keep meat amounts the same.
It has also intervened in food safety.
In the 1990s, attempts to start testing for salmonella in ground beef were opposed by
the meat industry.
A Congressman with financial ties to the meat industry called for more hearings and delays
against new food safety guidelines.
Similarly, despite heavy support from environmental groups as well as the public, the USDA has
refused to incorporate sustainability goals into their projected dietary guidelines.
Luckily, the USDA’s 2015 dietary guidelines are expected to actually impose SOME limits
on meat consumption.
In addition to advising against red and processed meat, they will also downplay the supposed
health benefits of lean meats.
However, final guidelines have not yet been released, and will no doubt be further influenced
by the meat industry.
Bacon is included among the list of meats with cancer risks — and for a long time,
it’s been a staple of American culture.
But why?
Find out the history
behind this meat product in Seeker Daily’s video.
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