Posted on 10/11/2014 8:26:30 AM PDT by Olog-hai
A virus that killed millions of baby pigs in the last year and led to higher pork prices has waned thanks to warmer weather and farmers’ efforts to sterilize their operations. And as pigs’ numbers increase, sticker shock on things like bacon should ease.
Already, hog supplies are on the rise, with 5.46 million baby pigs born between June and August in Iowa, the nation’s leading producer—the highest quarterly total in 20 years and a record 10.7 surviving pigs per litter, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture report.
It’s a significant turnaround from a year ago when the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus was wiping out entire litters. Since the virus first showed up, the federal government rushed to give conditional approval for a vaccine and those in the industry began taking precautions, such as disinfecting trucks, equipment and clothing. …
(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...
Mmmmmmm.....bacon!
Yep.
Record large corn crop, and cost at or below cost of production. Lots of relatively cheap pork and chicken in the coming months.
Beef maybe not so much. Environmentalists want to shut down cattle production, and the feds follow their lead. Beef is also a premium product with a world market, so a devalued dollar makes it more expensive in the USA.
muslims harmed worst.
Prices go up but they never come down.
Bacon!!!!!!
Maybe supply and demand will work. I was in the pricey grocery store yesterday (for a diabetic item) and they were selling pork tenderloin roasts 2 for 1. Which made the price almost reasonable. Also, an indication that people were not buying at the elevated price and they are having to reduce to sell.
NOW, what do I do with all of that bacon I bought when the prices started going up?
Oh, never mind...I’ve eaten most of it.
And here I’ve been buying pork because it’s the “cheap meat” (except bacon). So the prices are high because of a virus. What’s beef’s excuse? I buy a lot less hamburger than I use to, and having steak is an ultra-rare occurrence.
“What’s beef’s excuse?”
Drought. Much of the cattle producing areas have been in drought for several years. Buddy of mine sold young cows for $4/lb on the hoof. A cow will yield 60% as meat.
Why any worse than Jewish people and vegetarians?
This week’s sales circular shows 12 oz of store brand bacon is $3.50. That’s too high for this household’s budget.
After the terrible drought 3-4 years ago when the cattle ranchers had to sell off their stock, prices should have dropped. They didn’t. They rose. Now that most cattle ranches have built their stock back up, prices are still skyrocketing. The cheapest 70% ground beef is $3.60 in the 5 lb tube. They don’t sell the 10 lb. tube anymore. In fact, the large economy size containers of everything is no longer being sold here. The cheap off brands aren’t on the shelves, either.
food and other prices seem to have risen across the board and I don’t think the ranchers or anyone have anything to do with it. I think it is the dollar being worth less and less.
Good point
My local grocery chain is running a special on whole pork loins for less than $2 per pound. Best pork buy you can get..all meat and little waste. They had a special on bacon last week for $2.999 a pound. I have stocked my freezer
This is really good news about getting that piglet-killing virus under control. And they did it pretty quickly too.
Cripes, right. How did I forget that?
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