The USDA recently raised its estimate of red meat and poultry production. The numbers in its newest WASDE report shows production levels three billion pounds higher than the agency predicted after COVID-19 shut down meat plants in April and May.
An Agriculture Dot Com article says the meat outlook brightened for the second month in a row. “The beef production forecast is raised primarily on higher cattle slaughter and heavier carcass weights,” the USDA says.
“Forecast pork production is raised from last month primarily on higher expected second-half commercial slaughter. Broiler production is also raised on recent hatchery data.” In all, USDA forecast meat production of 106 billion pounds this year, which is more than its May estimate of 103 billion pounds.
The USDA also estimates meat production will total 107.6 billion pounds in 2021. Americans consumed a record of 224.3 pounds per person last year. Consumption was expected to climb to 227.4 pounds before the coronavirus entered the country.
After the outbreak forced slowdowns and temporary closures of some of the largest U.S. meatpacking plants, the USDA said per-capita consumption would drop to 217.1 pounds of meat as production shrank.
