Final answer:
The journey of a steak from Iowa to New York City involves raising cattle, processing their meat at facility, and transporting the final products using refrigerated transportation to ensure freshness upon delivery to markets and restaurants.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Journey of a Steak: From Iowa to New York City
The journey of a steak from Iowa to New York City encompasses several stages involving various key players in the cattle and meatpacking industry. Initially, cattle graze on the extensive rural lands until they reach market size. Once they are ready to be transported, they may be sent to a feedlot where they are fed a diet primarily consisting of corn and silage to ensure they gain suitable weight for slaughter. The actual slaughtering takes place in large meatpacking plants, a strategic move by companies such as ARMOUR to reduce costs by situating near the Midwest cattle supply. After the meat is processed into products such as steaks, it is transported in refrigerated railcars or trucks equipped with cooling systems to preserve the meat's quality.
Upon reaching New York City, the steaks are distributed to various markets, restaurants, and grocery stores. An essential advancement that made such a long-distance journey feasible is the development of transportation and refrigeration technologies. As illustrated in the historical context provided by the Library of Congress, transformations in the industry, including refrigerated transportation, have played a crucial role in ensuring cattle from places like Iowa can be consumed in cities like New York.
In summary, the process includes raising cattle, processing the meat at a facility, and using advanced transportation logistics to ensure that steaks reach the markets of New York City fresh and ready for consumption.