While there's been plenty of talk in the media about a bacon shortage-the National Pork Board (NPB) says bacon will not be scarce in the United States. The NPB says the amount of pork available per person in America will drop just slightly to 44.6-pounds next year. Today it stands at 46 pounds per person.
The price of bacon-however-will likely be higher.
The British National Pig Association is the trade group that warned a world shortage of pork and bacon next year is unavoidable. It is true that some hog producers have thinned their herds in response to the increase in the cost of feeding pigs that has resulted from the summer's drought.
Smithfield Foods says the high grain prices likely will cause many hog producers to cut production.
The American Farm Bureau Federation's Economist John Anderson agrees pork supplies will decrease slightly-but says the idea of widespread shortages is overblown.
So consumers won't have trouble finding bacon in the meat-but they are likely to see higher prices.
Source: NAFB & National Pork Board
Posted by Northern Ag Network
