Released January 25, 2010
MADISON, Wis. – Brenda Boetel, Department of Agricultural Economics, UW-River Falls, presented the outlook for livestock and poultry last week at the 2010 Wisconsin Agricultural Economic Outlook Forum. Looking back at 2009, meat consumption in the United stated declined 2.1 percent (4.5 pounds) from the previous year.
Other factors affecting the decrease in demand were declines in exports and byproduct values.
On the supply side, feed costs have also put pressure on the livestock industry. The increased price of corn over the last three years and lower supply due to increased ethanol production have contributed to higher feed costs as well as drought in the Western United States. This resulted in a one to two percent decline in beef production in the last year.
--article continued on University of Wisconsin news
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