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Red meat, poultry in cold storage up on year

The USDA says supplies of red meat in cold storage at the end of June 2018 were up 5% from the end of June 2017.

Beef jumped 8% to 448.577 million pounds and pork was slightly above a year ago at 560.034 million as the U.S. meat industry continues to grapple with high production levels and international trade related demand uncertainties. Pork ribs, veal, and other types of red meat notched new monthly record highs. Red meat totaled 1.062 billion pounds, compared to 1.013 billion a year ago.

Poultry stocks were up 6% on the year at 1.455 billion pounds, with chicken increasing 10% to 888.619 million, establishing a new all-time monthly high and canceling out a 1% decline for turkey at 562.280 million pounds. Chicken production levels have trended higher over the last several months and despite being down on the year, turkey stocks were up on the month.

The USDA’s next set of cold storage numbers is out August 22nd.