Meatonomics author says government working with meat and dairy industry to boost consumption

David Robinson Simon says 'aggressive messaging strategy' deprives consumers of ability to make 'independent decisions' on food

The Australian government has a vested interest in ensuring the country's consumption of meat remains the highest in the world, even to the detriment of the population, a US lawyer has said.

David Robinson Simon, a Californian attorney and author, has argued that meat and dairy producers in the US and, increasingly, Australia, are teaming with governments to encourage people to consume more animal products than they otherwise would.