Americans on average consume 1.8 ounces of beef per day, and average 6.4 ounces per day of all foods from the Meat Group. This amount fits in the range recommended in the U.S. Dietary Guidelines and Food Guide Pyramid. In fact, meat is the only food group eaten in recommended amounts. The study found that lean beef was as effective as chicken or fish in diets designed to lower cholesterol. A strategy already under way by the EPA and USDA is requiring operators of beef cattle, dairy cattle, hog and poultry facilities to implement manure management plans.
Many states already have manure management strategies.
Properly handled manure is not waste, but a natural, biodegradable fertilizer. This includes the water used to produce crops fed to livestock, as well as direct livestock consumption. It quickly recycles as part of nature's hydrological cycle. Growing the grain, vegetables and fruit we consume may use relatively few raw materials, but putting these foods into edible forms actually uses MORE raw materials than meat production. Calorie for calorie, a British study shows that producing meat uses far less energy than producing fruit or vegetables.