USA: Tight supplies, and high prices plague small processors

We’re not in a recession. Right? By definition, we are certainly not in a recession. Ask the average American, though, and you might get a different response. Despite continued assurances that we are not in a recessionary economic environment, meat and poultry processors, especially small producers, know that is not true. Ongoing high prices, a difficult labor market, tight beef supplies and ongoing regulatory pressures continue to plague the protein industry. The continued tight beef market is set to impact small processors throughout 2025, particularly those who are buying in boxed beef, said American Association of Meat Processors Executive Director Chris Young. With tight supplies and high prices, small processors are likely to feel the impact more than larger processors. To adjust to the tight beef market, small processors are getting creative. “A lot of our members have been sourcing through local farmers, and that seems to be working for some of them,” Young said. Despite ...