Hooray for higher meat prices!

Due to the vast majority of low-grade corn that animal agriculture uses to keep meat prices low, they are very sensitive to its cost.

That's why I am glad to repeat this story I found out about from the 11/14 episode of vegan diner. The story describes how as the ethanol created for alternative fuels ramps up, so does the demand (and therefore price) of low-grade corn. That is causing major animal abusers like Tyson Foods Inc. to post quarter after quarter of fiscal losses.

And since a company used to raking in profits like they are will only withstand so much bludgeoning by the market, they are faced with having to raise the prices of meat. And if meat becomes 25-50% more expensive, Americans will consume much much less of it. Then all the subsidies that animal agriculture receives which has been allowing them to keep meat prices low for the last few decades will not be enough to sustain the ridiculously low prices.

The only problem with the article is that they allow Tyson CEO to make the following misleading statement. "I believe the American consumer is going to have to pay more for protein." And as most people know, you can easily get plenty of protein from non-animal sources, so his statement is not factual.

Hopefully the trend in meat prices will look something like this


The original article can be found here:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0611140231nov14,1,3934157.story?ctrack=1&cset=true