Meat & Poultry

Hog prices may rebound from the biggest monthly loss since October as consumers switch from beef to cheaper pork, according to Karl Skold, an economist and the former head of commodity procurement for ConAgra Foods Inc. …

Bolstered by market research that shows the new Pork® Be inspiredsm campaign is having a positive impact on consumer attitudes, more than 50 pork producers will meet in Des Moines Sept. 7-8 to draft a 2012 budget for the National Pork Board that is expected to maintain a strong focus on getting consumers to eat more pork. …

Bill the Butcher, Inc. the return of the neighborhood butcher, announced that it has raised $545,000 of equity financing in its fourth quarter ending August 31, 2011, bringing the total capital raised to over $3 million, as part of the initial $11 million raise. Bill the Butcher will use the new capital to continue expansion plans in the greater Seattle area and begin designing the launch of a transactional web site and start exploratory investigations into new markets in California and Texas. …

The low cost of chicken is good for consumers, but bad for Georgia's agricultural economy. The state's $13 billion poultry industry is scaling back production to boost prices again, experts say. …

Sen. Michael Bennet urged Pres. Barack Obama late last week to finalize and implement rules to even the playing field for small ranchers and chicken farmers in competition with corporate giants in the industry. Sustainable food advocates, who have been traveling the country asking legislators to sign on to similar letters, claimed the senator’s move as a minor victory in what they see as a battle between David and Goliath. …