It would actually be the equivalent of taking a quarter of all cars off the road in the U.S.ĭAVIES: So if they can do as well as milk substitutes have done, it might be meaningful. And so the alternative milk industry actually does have roughly around 15% of the total milk industry, and so I was using that as a bit of a proxy and figured out if plant-based meat did take a share of around 15% of the total meat industry, it really would be quite significant. And before I delved further into the world of alternative proteins, I wanted to address if it actually really could make an environmental difference. But we really don't have the time to waste. The plant-based meat sales right now are still less than 1% of the total meat industry, and that's not the type of scale that's actually going to make any climate difference whatsoever. But so far, there's been billions of dollars invested and so little actual sales. SORVINO: I really felt like I couldn't write about the wealth and power in the meatpacking industry without also talking about the challengers and how they have been trying to take a bite out of big meat. Does it seem that these products will get enough market share to have a real impact on climate change and these other issues? They deliver a terrific authentic beef taste. You know, Beyond Meat and Impossible Burgers are very well-known. Her new book is "Raw Deal: Hidden Corruption, Corporate Greed, And The Fight For The Future Of Meat." Chloe Sorvino, welcome to FRESH AIR.ĬHLOE SORVINO: Thank you so much for having me.ĭAVIES: So let's talk about some meat substitutes that are gaining some traction in the United States, you know, to give people alternatives to beef and pork. Chloe Sorvino leads coverage of food, drink and agriculture at Forbes. In a new book, she also explores meat substitutes that are gaining a following and considers whether they have the potential to change the industry and slow global warming. The industry, she says, pollutes the environment, contributes to climate change and leaves the meat supply chain vulnerable to major disruptions. She finds that market power in meat processing is concentrated in a handful of powerful, multinational companies and that the industry is dominated by factory farms and huge feedlots, where animals get antibiotics and consume feed grown with synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Our guest, Forbes staff writer Chloe Sorvino, says meatpacking workers today still suffer from low pay and poor working conditions, but that the American meat industry has other serious, far-reaching problems. Meatpacking has been the subject of journalistic exposes dating back more than a hundred years to Upton Sinclair's searing descriptions of slaughterhouses as cruel to animals and dangerous and degrading for workers. Our next interview will be of interest whether you're a meat eater, a vegetarian or a vegan.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |