This article is part of a series by Sarah Rodeo ’13 called “Musings on the Meat Industry.” To view more posts, browse here.
This isn’t math class, but bear with me for a second, and picture a logistic growth curve on a graph. Visualize the skyrocketing, exponentially-increasing J-shape. That’s what the growth of the meatpacking industry would look like on the logistical graph of history. You may be wondering what caused it to look like that; but before you go and ask Ms. Brennan for her help, let’s delve into the reasons for this industry’s growth.
The most basic reason, believe it or not, is population growth. About 80% of the 316 million people in America in America eat meat, and the number of meat-eaters in the U.S. is expected to double by 2050. Along with the ever-growing population, American supply and demand regarding “tasty” sausages and hamburgers.
One of the less obvious reasons for the growth of the meat industry is refrigerator cars, invented in the late 1800s. Because of this new method of refrigeration, amounts of meat could be stored in larger quantities than technology had previously allowed. Most importantly, meat could be transported all across the United States at any time of year. For example, in the winter, cured meats were shipped from slaughterhouses in the west to markets and stores in the east. Previously, meat had only been distributed locally and during the summer.
The railroad system goes hand-in-hand with refrigerator cars as a cause of the growing meat industry. The American Transcontinental Railroad, officially completed in 1869, could transport greater amounts of animals, supplies, consumers and workers to lend to this growth. America’s period of urbanization and industrialization greatly contributed to the growth of the meat industry. Before the Industrial Revolution, livestock were butchered right in urban areas. However, with increasing population in cities and concerns about pollution from the ever-growing number of factories, slaughterhouses were built in bigger numbers and size further out west.
Lastly, with the explosions of urbanization and industrialization came the flood of immigration, which contributed greatly to the growth of the meat industry. Especially in the late 19th century to the early 20th century, the meat industry’s low wages and filthy and dangerous working conditions did not make it the number-one job choice for Americans. However, there were always thousands of immigrants in desperate need of work. European immigrants, mostly Polish and Lithuanian, made up the majority of the work force at first. Over time, the amount of Hispanic and Mexican immigrant workers increased due to labor unions’ loss of power and the relocation of slaughterhouses. The meat industry is also known to be responsible today for employing many undocumented and illegal immigrants.