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An economic recession is looming in the wake of COVID-19 – the impacts of which are already far worse than the 2008 financial crash.
This exclusive Plant Based News video looks at how intensive animal farming and population growth have created a breeding ground for outbreaks like the current coronavirus pandemic – with crises like avian flu, MERS, and SARS all linked to the way we treat animals.
Looking at the predicted disastrous economic fallout, PBN asks the question: will COVID-19 kill the meat industry?
Meat industry
“The economic cost of COVID-19 is so severe, we’re asking the big question: given how risky meat markets and factory farms are due to pandemic risk, is it worth it to keep them going?” said PBN founder Klaus Mitchell.
“Has COVID-19 changed the economic case for meat and dairy? Short term the answer is yes.”
Recent reports have shown farmers throwing away thousands of liters of surplus milk, as a result of cafes and restaurants slashing their orders due to the lockdown. A number of these farmers have said that without government help, the UK dairy industry is ‘facing disruption’.
Long term?
“Long term, has the cost of this pandemic tipped the balance and made the animal agriculture industry too costly for our society?” asks Mitchell.
“To understand this, we need to start by looking at the value of it. The meat industry is worth $946 billion and dairy is worth $442 billion globally.
“To put that in perspective, they make up 1.5 percent of the global economy, which is huge, but as much as they provide jobs and contribute to the economy, this doesn’t tell the full story.”
