Farmed Fish Surpasses Beef Production

Jun 13, 2013

Farmed Fish Surpasses Beef Production

More People Expected to Eat Farmed Fish than Wild in 2013

Farmed fish production exceeds world beef production, according to new report issued by the Earth Policy Institute in Washington, DC.

The aquaculture industry grew to a record 66 million tons, compared to beef production at 63 million tons. It is projected that 2013 will be the first year that people will eat more farmed fish than caught in the wild.

Since the late 1980s, beef production has slowed, while wild fish catches have remained stagnant. The findings suggest that getting more food from the wild may have already reached its limits, noting that much of the world’s oceans are already fished to their limits. Other issues are relating to logistics, boats are having to use more fuel to travel to deeper waters to capture fish and are often coming back with smaller catches.

The growing middle class in certain pockets of the world has meant that raising sources of protein like beef and fish in feedlots or fish farms has become a reality. While there is a role for other types of agriculture to help feed the world, certain types of operations are requiring more inputs. Looking at efficiency, cattle consume on average 7 pounds of grain to produce a pound of beef, while fish take less than two pounds of feed to produce a pound of protein. While pork and poultry are the most commonly consumed protein worldwide, aquiculture production is growing the fastest.

Aquiculture outperforming beef production marks a historical shift in global food production.

Video: What Does 20 MILLION Hogs a Year Look Like?

?? The Multi-Plant System Processing 20 Million Hogs Annually in the Midwest JBS USA operates multiple large-scale pork processing facilities across the Midwest, including major plants in Iowa, Minnesota, and Indiana. Combined, these facilities have the capacity to process approximately 20 million hogs annually.

Each plant operates high-speed automated slaughter systems capable of processing up to 20,000 head per day, followed by fabrication lines that break carcasses into primals, sub-primals, and case-ready retail products.

Hog procurement is coordinated through electronic marketing platforms that connect regional contract finishing operations and independent producers to plant demand schedules. This digital procurement system allows for steady supply flow and scheduling efficiency across multiple facilities.

Processing plants incorporate comprehensive food safety systems, including pathogen intervention technologies, rapid chilling processes, and integrated cold-chain management. USDA inspection is embedded throughout the harvest and fabrication stages to ensure regulatory compliance and product integrity. Finished pork products — from bulk primals to retail-ready packaged cuts — are distributed through coordinated logistics networks serving domestic and export markets.