Source: Rita Jane Gabbett, MEATINGPLACE, 11/23/11

USDA’s monthly Cold Storage report showed supplies of poultry and red meat in U.S. commercial freezers on Oct. 31 were down from a month ago, while beef, poultry and pork bellies were also down from a year ago.

Total frozen poultry supplies were down 7 percent from the previous month and down 4 percent from a year ago.

Total stocks of chicken were up 4 percent from the previous month but down 5 percent from last year. Total pounds of turkey in freezers were down 20 percent from last month and down 1 percent from October 31, 2010.

Total red meat supplies in freezers were down 2 percent from the previous month but up 1 percent from last year.

Total pounds of beef in freezers were down 3 percent from the previous month and down slightly from last year.

Frozen pork supplies were down slightly from the previous month but up 2 percent from last year. Stocks of pork bellies were down 7 percent from last month and down 63 percent from last year.

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