DISTRIBUTION OF U. S. MEAT SUPPLIES 

 By L. F. Stlce, Extension Marketing Specialist 



Civilian meat supplies may be slightly more plentiful in the last half of 19^4-5 

 than during the first half of 19^5i but they will still be 10 to 15 percent less than a 

 year ago and about 25 percent less than the demand at ceiling prices. It is expected also 

 that this situation vlll continue in the first half of 19k6. 



The basic reason for our present tight meat situation is that the peak in require- 

 nients was reached in a year of declining meat production (see chart). Military require- 

 ^lente in 19^5 are expected to be the largest for the war period, amounting to between one- 

 fourth and on&-fifth of our total supply. Exports, including lend-lease and military 

 .^elief, Are expected to be lower than In 19^. The total amount of meats available for 

 'iv:iHanp in 19I1.5 — probably 70 to 75 percent of the total supply-,- is about equal to average 

 'iviiian consumption during the period 1955-59. The per capital consumption of meats by 

 ■ivliians, however, was much higher from 19^ through 19^if than in the previous five-year 

 period, ranging from 158 j)ounds in 19^2 to 150 pounds in 19^. Thus until 19^5 higher in- 

 comes 4nd increasing meat production permitted civilians to have plenty of meat after 

 mllit^^ry-an^ allied needs were fulfilled. 



SUPPLY AND-DISTRIBUriON OF MEATS, U.S., 

 'inioft^^"-^^^^ av-., and 19^0-19^^5* 



55* 



Military, lend-le^e 

 - and exports ^^ 



plvllian 

 20 j-coTiauBq? t %<l\ 



15 i- 



10 



5 r- 



;•:•:•: 



M 

 viv 



•m^ 



:^l 



av 



nf5 



•tS: 



i:J:::i 



nn: 



T^ 



^ 





m 

 55 



::>: 



f^^^ 



i 



1^5* 



The sharing of our total meat 

 supply in those years was painless, but now 

 with reduced supplies sacrifices are being 

 made. Lend-lease shipments of meats to our 

 allies, principally Russia, have been cur- 

 tailed in an effort to give civilians a 

 larger supply. 



*U. S _Jierp8crtment of Agriculture forecast. 



