Encounter - Meat

Television (Full Length) – 1976

From the farm to the factory, this episode of Encounter takes a closer look at the meat industry in 1970s Aotearoa. Pigs and beef are the subject here, with no crumb of cow wasted in the process of preparing meat for human consumption. It could be described as the original nose-to-tail eating; the meat is cut and packed, the pelt washed and dried, and even some parts of the offal are used in making sporting equipment and pharmaceuticals. Interviews touch on some of the challenges of the industry, and explore differing beliefs on the use of meat. Some scenes may not be suitable for the easily queasy!

The meat trade has been a lucrative business at times, yet it's very dependant upon natural disasters and such like things overseas, and the times can be very volatile. So, one could say that it's a bit up and down.
– An owner of seven freezing works discusses the economics of the meat industry