American Meat’s Yearslong Run of Growth to End in Pandemic
- Slaughter logjams signal lower pork and beef output, USDA says
- Market gets ‘the ugly news it needs,’ Allendale’s Nelson says
Photographer: Dania Maxwell/Bloomberg
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Meat-processing disruptions in America are set to cost billions of pounds in lost production, snapping a yearslong run of growth in the industry, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
In its monthly outlook report, the USDA slashed its annual forecasts for pork, beef and chicken as virus outbreaks among workers force plants to shut or slow. Annual pork and beef output will be lower for the first time since 2014 and 2015, respectively, the agency predicted.