For the last couple of years, we have regularly reported that the number of recalls of USDA-regulated products had been dropping to stunning lows. From the high number of annual recalls consistently ranging between 120 and 150 between 2015 and 2019, there was a precipitous drop to 35 recalls of USDA-regulated products in 2020. In 2021 there were 46 recalls, and in 2022 there were 45. As I have repeatedly stated in the past, with over 6,500 USDA-FSIS-inspected establishments, the extremely low numbers of recalls in the past couple of years represent an accomplishment for which the industry should be proud.
With that background, however, I noticed recently that these positive trends appear to be slowing or, perhaps, even reversing. Indeed, so far in 2023, there have already been nearly 50 recalls of USDA-regulated products. Given the current trajectory, this could equate to as many as 86 recalls by the end of the year. If that were to occur, it would represent an increase of nearly 100% in the number of annual recalls when compared against 2022.