News

Record monthly U.S. pork, red meat production in May

The USDA says pork and red meat production both notched new all-time monthly highs in May. The pork processing industry has increased slaughter capacity in response to record herd levels and demand expectations, with the USDA’s next quarterly hogs and pigs report due out on the 28th.

Pork came out at 2.174 billion pounds, up 4% on the year, with a 3% increase in the slaughter to 10.218 million head, and a 3 pound gain in the average live weight at 285 pounds, while beef was reported at 2.307 billion pounds, a jump of 7%, with a 6% rise in the monthly kill to 2.908 million head and 8 pound gain in the average live weight at 1,315 pounds.

Commercial red meat production was also a new monthly record at 4.501 billion pounds, up 5% from May 2017, with the year to date total of 21.745 billion pounds, 4% ahead of last year’s record pace.

The USDA expects another year of record red meat production in 2019.