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Abstract
Most changes in quantity of meat demanded by U.S. consumers can be explained by changes in meat prices and in consumers' disposable income. Changes in consumer tastes and preferences are other factors that influence demand. These tend to change more slowly, but appear to be changing more rapidly in recent years due to changes in lifestyles, diet and health concerns and the rapid growth of fast foods and quick food preparation alternatives. This study analyzes demand for the four major meat groups: beef, pork, chicken and fish. This behavior was analyzed using national demand data relating to various meat prices and annual disposable consumer income. In addition, demand was analyzed for these same meat groups using cross sectional data from the Nationwide Food Consumption Survey (NFCS). The former method allows estimation of the national average per capita demand, while the latter allows estimation of demand for meat consumed at-home due to differences in socioeconomic variables and area of residence .