USDA reports that total meat consumption in 1997 amounted to 192 pounds per person, only a pound below a record of a few years ago. And the meat we are eating is leaner than ever. The proportion of saturated fat in the diet contributed by meat, poultry and fish fell from 37 percent in 1970 to 26 percent by 1994. If you ever wondered what the nation's food bill is you can find it in the Fact Book. That would probably be a cash register tape long enough to stretch to the Moon and back.
Agriculture is a big, important industry, but one that is often overlooked and under-appreciated.
Farmers have a reputation for being hard workers, and the Fact Book seems to support this belief. Most small farm operators must also work off the farm to support their households, and even the operators of larger farms report a significant contribution to income from off the farm. No wonder farmers complain about bureaucratic red tape and regulations. They are too busy working to bother with the unnecessary stuff. The number of farms in the U.S. is now 2.06 million, a decline of about 7 percent in the last decade.