Nah, no meat emergency, B. At least in Chicago, there are plenty of steakhouses and they are doing just fine.
Even with rising meat prices, demand is at an all-time high.
A couple of articles for your perusal...
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Drovers TV: Meat Production and Beef Demand on the Rise
By Greg Henderson, Drovers, Editorial Director
via AgWeb - February 8, 2019
Americans ate a record amount of red meat and poultry in 2018 as demand remained strong, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Per capita consumption of red meat and poultry was estimated at 220 pounds, and the trend should continue.
The latest Beef Demand Index finds that consumer demand for beef at retail has improved nearly 15 percent since 2012, and consumers are expected to eat 9 percent more beef in 2019 than in 2015.
Supermarkets remain the primary place consumers buy their meat. But meat purchases at conventional supermarkets are declining slightly, as value and specialty supermarkets become more popular destinations to buy meat. There has also been an increased consumer willingness to buy meat online, but consumers still prefer to purchase it at retail – a trend likely to continue in 2019.
Food markets are keeping an eye on plant-based meat alternatives which are making inroads with consumers...
more
https://www.agweb.com/article/drovers-tv-meat-production-and-beef-demand-on-the-rise/
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Beef Production Likely to Grow in 2019
BY NAFB
via KTIC (NE) - February 7, 2019
A Drovers report says the final beef production numbers for 2018 will soon be out as USDA data is moving again after the government shutdown. The current numbers for 2019 will also soon be released by USDA. The January Cattle on Feed Report will come out on February 22nd.
With all but the last few days of slaughter and carcass data out, 2018 beef production totals are all but wrapped up. Commercial beef production in 2018 should total 26.9 billion pounds. That’s 2.6 percent higher than the previous year and just lower than the record U.S. beef production total of 27.1 billion pounds in 2002.
Beef production in 2019 is expected to continue growing. The forecast for this year comes in at a record 27.4 billion pounds, 1.8 percent higher than last year. Drovers says the total beef production number is likely to grow through at least 2020.
Steer carcass weights increased just two pounds...
more
http://kticradio.com/agricultural/beef-production-likely-to-grow-in-2019/