Ag Outlook Conference: Record Meat Production

U.S. meat production is projected to break new records this year. Commercial beef production for 2019 is forecast to increase three percent to 27.6 billion pounds. That would break the previous record set in 2002. Commercial pork production is projected to reach a record 27.3 billion pounds, up four percent from last year. Turkey production is forecast to reach 5.9 billion pounds, after declining in 2018. For the first time in six years, dairy cow numbers are below a year earlier. Numbers are expected to see very small declines again in 2019, due to poor margins.