
U.S. red meat and poultry supplies at the end of May reflected at least some improvement in wholesale, retail, and consumer demand. The lingering effects of processing slowdowns caused by COVID-19 also played a role.
The USDA says the total supply of red meat in cold storage was down 13% from May 2019 at 933.111 million pounds, with a 26% drop in pork to 466.951 million cancelling out a 2% rise in beef at 415.221 million pounds as processing slowdowns contributed to heavier weights.