By Amanda Brodhagen, Farms.com
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) projects that red meat and poultry production will rise slightly for 2013. The USDA predicts that the supply of beef will be lower next year due to the drought conditions from this past summer and that will mean that poultry and pork production will rise slightly to offset the projected lower beef production. The department is also forecasting less beef imports for the remainder of 2012, largely due to less imports coming from Canada. The World Agriculture Outlook Board report (WAOB) notes that beef exports are expected to be unchanged for 2012-2013 and pork expectations remain unchanged for the remainder of 2012, but are expected to rise slightly in 2013. Poultry export forecasts remain unchanged for 2012 and 2013.