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Beef consumption in the United States reached a new high in 2025, when ** billion pounds were consumed. This is an increase in consumption of about *** percent compared to the previous year and the highest consumption recorded during the period under consideration.

United States beef production

The United States is the world’s second-largest producer of beef and veal. In 2024/25, production exceeded **** million metric tons. To keep up with the production demand, the U.S. was home to about ** million beef cows in 2025, more than double the number of dairy cows recorded that year. 

The shift towards plant-based foods

There is a large trend among Generation Z consumers to adopt a more vegetarian or vegan diet. Over half of Gen Z consumers are mostly vegetarian, at a minimum, as of 2022. ** percent, however, are completely vegan, meaning they eat no animal products at all. With this shift away from animal proteins, it is no surprise that the consumption of meat substitutes is expected to exponentially grow within the next several years. By 2031, U.S. meat substitute consumption is forecast to reach ** million kilograms.