Carnivores’ Dilemma Widens as Pork Signals Meat Surge (Update1)

[FarCenter]

By Whitney McFerron

April 26 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. meat prices may rise to records this summer after farmers reduced hog and cattle herds to the smallest sizes in decades, the result of surging feed costs linked to demands for more ethanol.

Wholesale pork jumped as much as 25 percent this month to 90.68 cents a pound last week, the highest since August 2008, U.S. Department of Agriculture data show. Beef climbed 22 percent this year to $1.6896 a pound on April 23, the most expensive since July 2008. Chicken’s gain in March was the most in 20 months.

Demand for pork chops, steaks and chicken breasts is rising as the economy improves, backyard barbecues resume and China and Russia allow more U.S. imports. Domestic supplies may drop to a 13-year low because of culls to stem losses caused by corn prices that doubled after former President George W. Bush set targets to increase ethanol use.

“Ethanol-induced prices in meat are just now getting to the marketplace,” said Steve Meyer, the president of Paragon Economics, a meat industry consultant in Des Moines, Iowa. “Consumers are going to see the highest prices they’ve ever paid in meat and poultry because of the decisions made to make corn into ethanol.”

<SNIP>http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=a41ys1pP9w.c&pos=14

[DJ13]

1. Nope, no inflation there

Nothing to see, keep moving you SS recipients with no COLA this year.

[closeupready]

2. If people can't afford pork, they can switch to squirrel meat.

:sarcasm:

[Yunomi]

7. Um, actually, squirrel is our fallback

food, along with those big, fat doves. I grew up eating squirrel and doves we hunted, and they're quite tasty if prepared well. I no longer hunt, and hate killing things, but will resume if we need to live. Anyway, our yard is overrun with squirrels and doves cause we keep it semiwild.

[closeupready]

8. I was just making fun of the Clintonista's argument that, 'people switch from steak to hamburger'

as a reason why inflation wasn't happening - even though it was.

[LeftyMom]

3. But how will people pay their doctors if meat prices rise?

Oh wait, not my problem. :D

[Froward69]

4. Grilled Rat is tasty too

mice are a bit too small.

[Lochloosa]

5. Rabbits are the answer. Just DON'T name them.

[rfranklin]

6. I boiled my 'baby' and ate him!

Famous tabloid headline.

[donquijoterocket]

9. kebabs

Mice would do nicely on skewers I'd think

[Scout]

10. glad we just bought half a pig from a local farm! n/t

[4_TN_TITANS]

11. My daughter will love this...

she's always looking for ways to turn the rest of us into vegetarians!

[upi402]

12. A pretty healthy way to go

I may return to it. If nothing else it'll save medical bills, and all those chicken feathers in my wallet after paying the Doc.

[eppur_se_muova]

13. Tofu: the other other white meat. nt