[ti:Vegetarians Gaining Followers in Meat-Loving Argentina] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM [00:01.16]Argentina is one of the world's leaders in beef consumption. [00:07.04]Many people there love to eat meat. [00:11.08]But the country's meat-eating tradition is being threatened [00:15.77]by a growing number of vegetarians and vegans, especially among young people. [00:23.72]A recent online questionnaire found that six out of every ten Argentines are willing to stop eating beef. [00:34.28]Adrián Bifaretti is head of marketing at the Institute for the Promotion of Beef. [00:41.70]He wrote a report about the online survey. [00:45.65]Bifaretti noted that the findings show a growing cultural divide. [00:52.15]The younger generations "have grown up amid the debate over abortion in Congress; inclusion, gender equality ... [01:02.16]These collective questions have started to gain weight in decisions about the purchase of foods," he said. [01:12.32]The Chamber of Commerce for Beef and its Derivatives reported in July [01:18.31]that Argentines are consuming on average 50 kilograms of beef a year. [01:25.84]That number represents what it calls the lowest level of meat consumed in the country's history. [01:34.52]"This concern about cruelty and slaughter is here and is going to be felt," Bifaretti said. [01:42.88]He added that movements from other parts of the world are arriving in Argentina. [01:50.12]"It is starting to be a challenge," he said. [01:53.79]The cultural divide was clear several weeks ago when animal activists gathered [02:01.14]near an event at the Buenos Aires Rural Society. [02:06.44]They were met by cattle ranchers who charged at them on horses. [02:12.01]Much of the anti-beef activism comes from vegans. [02:17.75]Veganism developed as a movement in London during World War II. [02:23.33]It is based on a diet free of animal products. [02:28.24]Vegans also reject animal labor or use of animals in scientific experiments. [02:36.76]There are no official numbers in Argentina. [02:40.62]But Adrian Bifaretti's group estimates vegans and vegetarians represent 7% to 8% of the population. [02:51.72]"I don't love eating animals," said Melissa Aruj, a 25-year-old. [02:58.76]"Without a doubt, I estimate that in 10 to 15 years a large part (of the population) will be vegetarian." [03:08.68]"I don't know if they will be vegan," she added. [03:11.92]The change will be "little by little." [03:15.92]A group of young people from the animal liberation group Voicot held a protest on a recent Saturday. [03:24.59]They gathered at the entrance to a meat-processing center in Buenos Aires. [03:31.88]"It makes me very sad. [03:34.00]Words are not enough for me to apologize to the animals because they have miserable lives. [03:41.34]They are born with a date to die," said one protester, Jazmín Romero. [03:47.68]She wore clothing with the words: "We are the species threatening to destroy everything." [03:55.09]On the other side of the divide, many Argentines see eating beef as part of their history and culture. [04:04.16]"We aren't talking about killing the animal for sport. [04:07.91]The animal is being transformed into food," said Bifaretti. [04:13.24]"It has been like this throughout the history of humanity." [04:18.36]I'm John Russell. 更多听力请访问51VOA.COM