There will be a record amount of meat eaten by American consumers in 2018, if projections will be accurate. The USDA announced that the average consumer will eat 222.2 pounds of red meat and poultry in 2018, which would surpass a record set in 2004. Domestic production should also surpass 100 billion pounds for the first time. A Bloomberg report notes that cheap feed grain should allow livestock owners to expand their herds.
Decreasing meat prices have helped keep meat consumption growing, and dietary trends are focusing more on protein and less on carbohydrates. To top it off, the economy in general is continuing the steady growth that it has seen in the last several years, leading to an environment where meat processors are in a good position for a strong year in 2018.