USDA: Bacon Reserves at 50-Year Low
UNDATED -- The demand for bacon on our breakfast and dinner tables is so high, the nation's cold storage reserves are down to the lowest levels in about 50 years. A new report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows the pork belly cold storage is down 66% from a year ago.
Here in Minnesota, pork production is up over 5% from a year ago and the state is the second-leading pork producer in the country.
David Preisler is the Executive Director of the Minnesota Pork Producers Association. He says bacon lovers will still be able to buy bacon at grocery stores despite the high demand. That demand could push prices up, however.
Minnesotans consume about 20% of the pork produced here in the state. Exports to other countries accounts for about another 25%. The remaining 55% is shipped all across the U.S.