Imagine it’s only March, and Australia has already eaten its entire recommended yearly meat intake. Yes, that’s a real milestone—Meat Exhaustion Day.

By 20 March, Australians had collectively consumed the maximum amount of meat that’s considered sustainable for the whole year. At this rate, by December, we’ll have eaten five times more than the recommended healthy limit.

On average, each Australian consumes nearly 1.5 kg of meat per week—equivalent to 12 burger patties. In contrast, the recommended amount is just over 300 grams per week, or about 2.5 patties.

This isn’t just a fun fact—it’s a flashing red warning light.

Australia consumes more than twice the global average of meat per capita, and we’re far exceeding planetary health guidelines. Meanwhile, our demand fuels unsustainable animal agriculture, deforestation, water pollution, and massive carbon emissions.

Meat Exhaustion Day is similar to Earth Overshoot Day, highlighting the moment when a country's meat consumption surpasses the sustainable limit defined by the Planetary Health Diet (PHD). This diet, endorsed by the EAT-Lancet Commission, recommends limiting meat intake to no more than 15.7 kg per person annually^[1].

The aim is to harmonise human health with the planet's well-being, taking into account factors such as climate change, water usage, and soil pollution.

To meet our demand for meat, Australia slaughters millions of animals annually^[2]:

• 8 million cattle
• 27 million lambs
• 10.4 million sheep
• 5.8 million pigs
• A staggering 734 million chickens

Many of these animals endure appalling conditions, from overcrowded cages to painful mutilations, long distance transport, and brutal slaughter.

Animal Agriculture isn’t just an ethical issue—it’s an environmental one, driving land clearing, biodiversity loss, and Australia’s world-leading rate of mammal extinction. A shocking 90% of bushland destruction is caused by land clearing for the development of livestock pastures across Queensland and New South Wales, causing the displacement, harm and death of 100 million animals^[3].

Health-wise, the risks are just as serious. High meat consumption is linked to bowel cancer, obesity, and diabetes. Shockingly, 17.8% of bowel cancers in Australia are attributed to red and processed meat consumption^[4].

In factory farming systems, animals lack genetic diversity, healthy species-appropriate living conditions, or sufficient space. This contributes to the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and increases the risk of pandemics. The overuse of antibiotics in livestock promotes the emergence of resistant bacteria, which can spread to humans through food, water, and the environment^[5].

This isn’t about banning meat—it’s about balance.  

Scientists and health experts aren’t calling for everyone to go vegan overnight, but they are urging us to reduce our intake significantly. Even a modest shift can have enormous benefits.

A heart-healthy diet could cut Australia’s daily CO2 emissions by 24%. Following the Australian dietary guidelines (which still allow for some meat) would reduce our climate footprint by 42%^[6].

Governments must step up, phasing out the millions of taxpayer funds propping up harmful animal agricultural practices, stopping deforestation and land clearing for expansion of animal agriculture and redirecting subsidies towards sustainable, plant-based agriculture.  

But individual consumers have power, too. Every meal is an opportunity to make a choice that benefits both our health and the planet.

Reducing meat consumption doesn’t mean eliminating it altogether. The 3Rs approach offers a simple framework:

• Reduce overall meat intake
• Refine by choosing higher-welfare, more sustainable sources
• Replace animal products with plant-based alternatives

Instead of almost leading the world in overconsumption, it’s time for Australia take the lead in building a fairer, healthier, and more sustainable food system.

Meat Exhaustion Day should be a wake-up call, not an annual tradition.