News

Red meat in cold storage drops, poultry up

The difference for red meat and poultry cold storage numbers is demand.

The USDA says red meat supplies at the start of the month were 920.485 million pounds, a drop of 15% on the year, including an 18% decrease for beef to 421.627 million pounds from last year’s record monthly high and a 13% decline in pork at 471.091 million pounds.

That reflects solid domestic demand late in the summer grilling season along with a lower trend in production due to tighter available numbers.

Poultry in cold storage was reported at 1.284 billion pounds, 1% above a year ago, with chicken slightly higher at 834.891 million pounds and turkey up 2% to 447.122 million pounds, even as total monthly poultry production moved modestly lower.

The USDA’s next round of annual meat supply, demand, and production estimates is out October 12^th.