How many miles are driven to bring one pound of beef, one pound of chicken, one pound of pork and one pound of wheat to market.

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How many miles are driven to bring one pound of beef, one pound of chicken, one pound of pork and one pound of wheat to market.

OVERVIEW AND METHODOLOGY

Since the early 2000s, farm-to-table food products have gained popularity among consumers, contributing to a growing awareness of the origins and production factors involved in food production. A 2017 report issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture addresses the benefits to consumers and farmers from both health and economic perspectives of locally and regionally produced meat products, driving their increasing popularity in the market.

Despite growing interest in locally sourced food, much of the meat and poultry available in the U.S. today travels long distances to reach the consumer. Despite an exhaustive search of USDA sources, academic papers, and agricultural research, we were not able to determine an accurate, average number of miles driven to bring a pound of beef, chicken, pork, or wheat from farm to market primarily due to three factors:

(1) The number of intermediate steps in the farm to market journey, each of which may vary widely in transportation needs,
(2) Alternative methods of transportation utilized in the industry, such as rail, barge, and intermodal, and
(3) The additional mileage attributable to U.S. imports and exports of agricultural products.

However, we were able to identify several issues related to meat production and environmental impact which may be helpful in your messaging.

THE BEEF JoURNEY

In the U.S., Texas produces the most beef in the United States . Globally, meat production is projected to reach 376 million tons by 2030.

Beef originates on a farm or ranch, where cattle are bred and raised. If not purchased directly by a buyer, cattle will be transported to auction. Once purchased, the buyer will transport the cattle to his/her facilities (sometimes over 100 miles away) for health inspections and weight gain before traveling to packing plants. At this point, cattle are 18 to 22 months old.

In May 2015, a symposium was held to discuss cattle transportation and well-being issues, as well as present possible solutions for future industry concerns. The symposium was a joint effort of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Colorado State University, and the Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program. Among the findings presented: nearly all beef and dairy animals are transported at least once in their lives; typically, more often. For example, animals may be transported to an auction house, then to a buyer's facility, followed by transport to a processing plant, and eventually to market. There may also be several short-distance trips between pastures owned by a single farmer.

Overcrowding, stress, fatigue, and disease are issues that come into play in the quality of beef produced, in addition to the actual distance traveled. Typically, the longer the distance, the higher the level of strain and discomfort affecting the animal. These factors result in poorer quality beef.

NATIONAL BEEF QUALITY AUDIT

The 2016 National Beef Quality Audit used data collected from a large sample of cattle in the U.S. to gain insight into the process to market. The audit revealed that cattle were in transit for roughly 6.7 hours and traveled 283.2 miles to processing facilities, though earlier audits suggest that this may be as high as 472 miles. An average of 154 cattle are transported per standard truckload, with an edible amount of beef per cow of 490 pounds. Thus, we can calculate the average amount of edible beef in one truckload as:

154 cattle x 490 pounds = 75,460 pounds of beef transported per truckload

PORK
Iowa is the largest producer of pork in the U.S.. While specifics regarding the pork farm-to-market journey were not found, the top issues affecting hogs in transit relate to heat, overcrowding, and disease. The industry loses an estimated $46 million a year due to these transport-related issues. In addition to the economic implications, the humane treatment of these animals is a leading concern. Industry experts urge transporters to provide adequate space for animals to move about and rest while in transit, monitor heat and humidity conditions, and assure that animals are disease-free prior to transport.

CHICKEN
In 2014, the United States Department of Agriculture granted approval to send U.S. chickens to China for processing, then returned to the U.S. for consumption. In these cases, transportation could exceed 14,000 miles round trip. Consumer labels showing the country of processing is not required. Though there are fewer steps in the chicken market journey as compared to beef and pork, the distance traveled can be far greater and include several modes of transport.

WHEAT/GRAIN
Wheat is a commodity in the U.S. market and would be too expensive to transport over long distances by truck. A Washington State report indicates that truck legs in wheat transport are typically short - less than 20 miles. Rail and barge cover the greatest share of wheat transport in the U.S. as they are more cost-efficient and, in some cases, a combination of transport modes are used to reach the market destination. Since these paths are limited to established railroad routes and rivers, wheat may be transported via a less direct, but more cost effective path than if driven directly by truck.

Additionally, the U.S. exports a significant share of the wheat produced to other countries, which adds miles to the distance traveled.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
In addition to transportation considerations, meat production has other negative effects on the environment. For example:

* Livestock require land for grazing, as well as land for planting feed crops. 30% of the Earth's ice-free land is devoted to livestock production, a greater share of land than any other human industry.

* Meat production requires a great deal of water. The average annual water footprint of 1 beef animal is 630 cubic meters; 1 pig is 520 cubic meters; and 1 chicken is 26 cubic meters.

* The livestock industry generates 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

CONCLUSION
Beef and pork production in the U.S. are subject to a number of intermediate steps between farm and market, each of which may have a transportation component. Wheat is often transported by rail or barge due to cost.

Did this report spark your curiosity?

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