Industry Group Predicts Pork, Bacon Shortage
America's favorite foods, pork and bacon, may be in decline due to a worldwide draught, according to a British trade group.
The study reported that pig production in Europe fell precipitously between 2011 and 2012, and tied the reasons for the decline on this season's failing corn and soybean crops. The poor harvests negatively affect the amount and cost of feed, resulting in fewer animals and less production.
"British supermarkets know they have to raise the price they pay to Britain's pig farmers or risk empty shelves next year" said Britain's National Pig Association chairman Robert Longthorp.
Declines are being predicted around the world, especially in the United States, with its heavy consumption of all things pork. In their August monthly outlook report, the U.S. Department of Agriculture linked a possible shortage due to the drought in the Midwest. In the report, the Department expects corn and soybean meal prices to increase, and hog producers to reduce their production to compensate for the shortages.
The USDA predicts a 1.3 percent decrease from this year's estimated total, and the news could possibly be even worse for Europe. The UK Pig Association warns that pork prices might even double by the later half of 2013, but "if supermarkets act now, they can prevent this from happening."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Mother pigs are crammed into "gestation crates" so small that can't even turn around, and their bodies rub against the bars until they have open sores... and they never get to nuzzle the babies they nurse through the bars of those crates. Pigs raised for food are treated like garbage while they're alive, and live in total misery until the day they're forced into 18-wheelers (by being beaten or having electric prods rammed into their rectums) and crammed in the truck so tight, sometimes, according to pig transporters, their guts actually "pop out their butts." Each year, 1 million pigs die from the horrors of transport alone. The "downers" - those who are too sick or injured to walk - are kicked, struck with electric prods, and eventually dragged off the truck. In winter, some pigs just die literally frozen to the side of the truck. Some live but are cut or torn off the side of the truck while still alive; transport workers say the "skin comes right off." Sometimes when they first make it to the open expanse of the roundup, the pigs buck excitedly and try to run FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THEIR LIVES, excited at this sudden freedom! But their bodies are too weak and sick, so they just collapse again- freedom isn't near; their lives are THIS. Once ready for slaughter, there's so many of them to kill, it has to be done quickly and sloppily, so many pigs are still alive when the reach the scalding tank, their horrific end. Enjoy your bacon!