The Victims
Who is affected: Animals, People and the Environment!
Pretty much everybody is affected by the shortage. Farmers, consumers, government, markets and stores, and of course the animals will soon begin to feel the effects of the shortage. You probably eat a lot of meat and rely on food inspectors to make sure it is safe. Farmers rely on large animal vets to keep their animals healthy and keep their costs down. The government relies on them to keep diseases away from people. Even vegetarians are affected because veterinarians monitor diseases passed from animal to human. Stores and markets rely on them to keep meat and dairy products safe to keep their profits high. The animals, of course, need the vets to keep them healthy and are the first ones to feel the effect of the shortage.
The number of food animals that require care in the United States is:
- 2 billion chickens and other poultry
- 60 million pigs
- 97 million beef cattle
- 8 million sheep and goats
