Meat Then and Now: This book tells the story of the livestock and meat industry and the vital role they played in the expansion and settlement of the United States. It starts with the arrival of Europeans in the Western Hemisphere in the late 1400s and ends with at the modern industry. The role of railroads and their role in transporting livestock and people from the sites of production to population centers is interwoven throughout the book. The history of most of the packers involved in the meat industry past and present and the founders of those companies is included.