The difference for red meat and poultry cold storage numbers is demand.

The USDA says red meat supplies at the start of the month were 920.485 million pounds, a drop of 15% on the year, including an 18% decrease for beef to 421.627 million pounds from last year’s record monthly high and a 13% decline in pork at 471.091 million pounds.

That reflects solid domestic demand late in the summer grilling season along with a lower trend in production due to tighter available numbers.

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