by Bryan Salvage, editor
Headlines of major newspaper features covering food trends in recent months have proclaimed in big, black letters-beef is back. Those headlines are accurate. Various facts and trends support this claim.
The past 20 years have been frustrating for the beef industry. In 1976, beef per capita consumption was 88.8 pounds. But from 1970 to 1985, beef per capita consumption road a roller coaster, rising some years and falling in others. Beef per capita consumption managed to slip each year between 1985 and 1992.
But things are beginning to look up for beef, both short and long term. Figures in the most recent Cattle and Sheep Outlook report from USDA's Economic Research Service indicate that there was a rise in beef consumption last year to 65.1 pounds-up from 62.8 pounds in 1992. And larger beef supplies this year should mean an increase in beef per capita consumption to 67 pounds.
Despite fears of anti-beef repercussions resulting from last year's deadly E. coli 0157:H7 outbreak on the West Coast, I really haven't noticed a slowdown in local fast-food hamburger restaurants-particularly in my hometown of Chicago.
And judging from the new offerings being introduced at fast-food eateries and middle-of-the-road, sit-down restaurants, more variations of hamburgers continue to enter the scene. Some of the burgers are even bigger in size.
I also haven't noticed any people wearing ski masks when ordering high-priced steaks at white table cloth restaurants. And while snooping around the dining areas of such establishments, I continue to see far more beef entrees than poultry or seafood.
The only "beef" I have about beef being served at restaurants is that some foodservice establishments now refuse to serve customers a rare cut. This happened to me while attending a meat industry convention earlier this year.
Moving ahead
There is more good news in the forecast for the beef industry. Fresh and imported beef supplies are expected to be down again in 1994, while beef exports are expected to rebound after dropping 4 percent in 1993.
Overall, U.S. beef exports reached $2 billion in 1993; by volume, U.S. beef exports totaled 425,000 metric tons last year, according to the U.S. Meat Export Federation.
Many meat people are confident beef exports have an even greater opportunity to increase in the coming years in light of the North American Free Trade Agreement and anticipated approval of the world trade agreement. In fact, USMEF predicts beef exports will hit $5.8 billion by 2001. In other words, the industry will almost triple its current beef exports within seven years.
Beef producers should be commended for intensifying efforts to raise leaner, more consistent cattle. Continued focus on consumer demand will help drive beef product sales, which will benefit all links in the meat chain.
During the past 15 years, an almost hysterical reaction by some consumers to eliminate cholesterol and fat from their diets has led some to drastically reduce their beef intake and others to eliminate it from their diets altogether.
But a new trend has emerged: Many people have returned to beef. It contains less fat and will always remain an important part of a well-balanced diet.
Beef is back, better than ever.