According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, about one-third of food produced for human consumption worldwide is wasted, and of that, over 20% is meat (FAO, 2012). A large portion of the discarded beef is due to its discoloration. 

Typically, consumer trends are driven by things like innovative restaurants and world travel. This year, the restaurants aren’t open, and many people haven’t traveled further than their front door, thanks to the restrictions that the Coronavirus pandemic have placed on our lives.

When you think of a fine charcuterie tray, you may envision a fancy Italian restaurant, a wooden board covered with sliced meats and various cheeses, perhaps served with a glass of wine.

Frank Bertolino can still remember the first paycheck he ever received in America. It was in 1956, and the 20-year-old had just come to the country from Sicily, along with the rest of his family. He had worked in the fish business with his father in the old country, but when they settled in Boston, his cousin got him a job as a carpenter. They made caskets.

“2020 was a below-average year with moments of terror,” says Steve Meyer, Ph.D, an economist with Partners for Production Agriculture, based in Ames, Iowa.