A great deal of attention has been focused in recent years on ethical and health issues regarding the supply and demand for livestock products. The issues raised in this discussion paper range from animal welfare rights on the supply side to ethical and health issues on the demand side. Some people are concerned with the health risks associated with livestock product consumption. Others, like Godlovich (1997), can cogently argue a case that the production and consumption of lifestock animal product is a moral progress issue. Such views are strongly at variance with a number of contrasting trends in the world market for animal products and this paper is designed to try to elucidate the basis for these counter views.