Food consumption shapes and is shaped by agriculture and food production, on a local, regional, national and global scale. Wealthier nations, such as the U.S., have enjoyed low food prices and energy-intensive, high-meat diets due in large part to subsidies for water, fuel, fertilizers and feed crops. As the economies of lower- and middle-income countries grow, demand for meat and animal-based foods tends to increase, impacting those countries’ food production practices and food systems.

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