“A lot of commentators are saying we'll pull out at the end of '09,” said Dr. Paul Aho, a consulting poultry economy who spoke about the global market at the International Poultry Exposition in January. “That's what is called wishful thinking, based on nothing.” Instead, he advised the gathered processors to include in their contingency plans the possibility that the recession won’t end until 2010.
Aho was speaking to the poultry industry, which has seen more than its share of troubles in the past year. However, some of the same problems — gas and feed prices — affect the red-meat side of the industry as well.