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USDA confirms record 2020 red meat production

The USDA says the U.S. produced a record amount of red meat in 2020.

The total of 55.774 billion pounds was a little bit larger than the initial guess from December and up 1% from the previous record set in 2019, with commercial and on-farm production both climbing slightly, despite a slowdown in processing during the first half of the year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pork production of 28.304 billion pounds was 2% above the prior year, driven by a higher slaughter pace, up 1.571 million head to 130.782 million, and a heavier average live weights, gaining four pounds to 289 pounds.

Beef production was slightly higher at 27.243 billion pounds, with a lower slaughter, down 769,000 head at 32.786 million head, canceled out by a 29 pound gain in the average live weight at 1,373.

The 2020 dairy cow slaughter of 3.064 million head was down 160,000 from 2019, accounting for 9.5% of the federal inspected cattle slaughter.

Veal and lamb and mutton production both saw year to year declines on reduced slaughter levels.

Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Texas made up 49% of U.S. commercial red meat production, unchanged from 2019.

The USDA’s next set of red meat production estimates for 2021 is out May 12^th in the monthly supply and demand report.