Business & Tech

Bacon Shortage Looming, Pork Industry Experts Warn

A worldwide shortage of pork products, wrought by the drought this year, is approaching, an industry trade group says.

 

Could bacon, that all-time favorite breakfast meat, begin disappearing from store shelves?

One pork trade group says a world-wide pork shortage, including disappearing bacon stores, will happen.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

"A world shortage of pork and bacon next year is now unavoidable," Britain's National Pig Association said in a press release. "New data shows the European Union pig herd is declining at a significant rate, and this is a trend that is being mirrored around the world. Pig farmers have been plunged into loss by high pig-feed costs, caused by the global failure of maize and soya harvests."

In the U.S., the widespread summer drought this year has devastated corn and other feed crops, leading pig farmers to slaughter thier herds early. That, in turn, has temporarily boosted pork supplies in the U.S., according to a Bloomberg News Report. But the record slaughter of pigs in the U.S. this year means farmers will have smaller herds next year and will bring fewer pork products to the market.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

Earlier this summer, Good Humor trucks faced an ice cream shortage due to warm weather and the closure of a plant.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here