Source:  Rita Jane Gabbett, MEATINGPLACE.COM, 2/15/11

By 2018, USDA projects per capita poultry consumption in the United States will hit 106.7 pounds, surpassing per capita red meat consumption of 106.3 pounds, with that trend continuing through 2020.
In a new report entitled “USDA Agricultural Projections to 2020” USDA predicted U.S. per capita consumption of red meats and poultry combined will bottom out at just over 203 pounds in 2012 and 2013 before resuming growth to about 216 pounds by 2020. That would still fall short of peak annual consumption from 2004-2007 of about 221 pounds.

The report said near-term changes in livestock production, along with projected gains in meat exports, will result in higher consumer prices and the lower per capita consumption.

Beef
USDA projected per capita beef consumption declines through 2013, before rising moderately through 2020. The initial decline reflects continuing reductions in beef production through 2012 coupled with expanding exports. However, as beef production increases in later years, per capita consumption grows.

Pork
Gains in U.S. pork exports combine with moderate pork production changes will push per capita pork consumption down in 2010 through 2013, USDA forecast. A gradual rebound in per capita pork consumption is expected to occur over the remainder of the projection period as production gains strengthen.

Poultry
Due partly to higher feed conversion rates and a shorter production process, the poultry sector adjusts faster than the red meats sector to higher feed costs. As a result, poultry production is projected to grow throughout the decade.

USDA expects per capita poultry consumption to rise through 2020, and, in contrast to red meats, surpass levels of the past decade.

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