Beef and veal export volume worldwide 2019-2024, by country

In 2024, the top exporters of beef and veal worldwide were forecasted to be Brazil and Australia, with an export volume of over 2.9 million and 1.7 million metric tons of beef and veal respectively. 

Beef production worldwide

Beef and veal have the third largest production volume of any type of meat in the world, behind pork and poultry but ahead of sheep. In the recent years, about 70 million metric tons of beef and veal were produced worldwide. The global leader in beef and veal production is the United States, followed by Brazil.

Beef consumption in the United States

Beef is one of the most popular sources of protein among American consumers; hamburgers and steaks are a staple in households and restaurants across the United States. Total beef consumption in the United States reached 30 billion pounds in 2021, up from 24.7 billion pounds in 2014. The average American consumer eats approximately 58.9 pounds of beef per year, as of 2021. This figure is expected to decrease slightly then remain constant at around 55.5 pounds for the next several years. However, veal consumption in the United States has seen a significant decline since the year 2000 and is expected to amount to about 0.1 pounds per person per year for the foreseeable future.