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Poultry industry resilient in 2020

The director of animal protein for RaboBank applauds the poultry sector for holding up remarkably well in the face of a global pandemic.

Christine McCracken says when looking back at 2020, people adjusted to severe disruptions.

“I think it was a real testament to the resilience of the industry.”

She tells Brownfield poultry saw unprecedented surges in demand, lost markets, and labor and distribution issues that made for an inefficient supply chain.

“It’s really impressive how quickly people adjusted and came through it really with flying colors. Not to say it was an easy year (because) it wasn’t, but I think for the most part the food system and poultry industry did very well.”

McCracken does have concerns for the poultry industry going forward, citing higher feed costs, more market competition globally, and continued pressure on foodservice related to COVID-19.