Jewish Women from the Lower East Side forever changed the meat industry on May 15, 1902.
On May 15, 1902, Jewish women from the Lower East Side forever changed the kosher meat industry. Through collective protest against high kosher meat prices, brought about by inflated wholesale rates from the Beef Trust in Chicago, they ultimately succeeded in lowering prices for thousands of Jews in New York. This war waged by Jewish women on the meat industry eventually led to the disbanding of the Beef Trust, which was found to violate the Sherman Antitrust Act. Today, we import from many more places and have tariff challenges, but like back then, we use refrigerated railcars and still import from the state of Illinois. In a new development, the food industry will be looking to beef tallow as an alternative to vegetable oils for cooking. With health benefits and an attractive flavor, beef tallow is beginning to become mainstream.
1902 Belonged to the Lower East Side
In his groundbreaking book The Great Kosher Meat War of 1902, Scott Seligman captures the background and key events leading up to the transformative day of May 15, 1902, when the meat industry was set on a new trajectory.
Notable developments around that time included the invention of refrigerated boxcars to transport meat, a rabbi brought in from Vilna to direct the Jewish community and oversee kashrus, Jewish women from the Lower East Side unable to feed their families, and monopolistic practices by the Beef Trust located in Chicago.
Jewish women protests reduced inflated meat prices and led to the disbandment of the Beef Trust in Chicago.
With refrigerated boxcars, meat could now be transported throughout the country. Chicago was the main hub for livestock processing, and the Beef Trust took advantage of this by paying less to cattle raisers and charging more to consumers.
By 1902, around half a million Jews had already emigrated from Eastern Europe, mostly Russia and Poland, to create a metropolis of Jewish culture. Orthodoxy and Shabbos observance were transported here, and they relied on meat to continue a religious way of life.
To bolster the community, they recruited Rabbi Jacob Joseph of Vilna to serve as Chief Rabbi of New York. He implemented new kashrus standards and tried to rally the community. Despite his successes, numerous competing forces at the time cut his tenure short.
In the months leading up to May 1902, the price of meat went from 12 cents per pound to 18 cents per pound, which based on today’s inflation rates was significant. On May 15, 1902, finding it difficult to feed their families anymore, Jewish women from the Lower East Side picketed outside butcher stores not allowing them to sell their meat to consumers. The cause was indeed coming from the Beef Trust, but if butchers stopped buying from them, prices would be forced to come down. Ultimately, continued protests by the Jewish women drove prices down, and in 1905, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Beef Trust was an illegal entity guilty of restraining trade.
Today’s Kosher Meat Market
Today, OU Kosher-certified companies source their meat from both domestic and international suppliers.
Though there are stark differences between the kosher meat scene today and that of the past, there are similarities as well. For instance, one place where OU kosher-certified companies receive their meat today is from the state of Illinois. In addition, refrigerated boxcars are still used and relied upon for transporting meat throughout the country.
Today, however, the sources available for meat have expanded. Currently, OU kosher-certified companies also receive meat domestically from Nebraska and Texas, and internationally from Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Paraguay, Mexico, Canada and Chile.
From an economic perspective, the challenge in the early 1900s was monopoly-based, while today it’s more tariff-related. Nevertheless, one thing holds true about both periods: consumers have a strong voice in regulating prices.
The Return of Beef Tallow
Beef tallow is emerging as a popular cooking oil among many companies.
Many companies are looking to beef tallow as an alternative to vegetable oils for cooking. OU kosher-certified Kerry, Bell, and Symrise already have this flavor in their arsenal. The health benefits and unique taste have brought it to the forefront.
In a recent CNN article, US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., in advocating for his health agenda, was cited as saying, “make frying oil tallow again.” He wants companies to move in this direction and is incentivizing its use.
Beef tallow comes from the white tissue in the animal, carrying a large number of vitamins and some important fatty acids, like Omega-3 and Omega-6. An advantage of beef tallow is its high smoke point (something that applies to olive and avocado oil as well).
Conclusion
1902 changed the meat market. Jewish women from the Lower East Side protested against a monopolistic enterprise that led to lower prices. Today, we face different challenges in the way of tariffs. A new development relates to companies starting to use beef tallow in their cooking process.