At times during the past year, it certainly has seemed as though the economic floor could fall right out from under anyone at a moment’s notice. Certainly, some sectors of the economy have fallen through several floors and into the basement during this recession. For some, it will take ages to recover. But for others, such as the meat- and poultry-processing industries, recovery may not prove as painful or drawn-out.

Sure, additional challenges — along the lines of potential recalls, the unfounded fears and perceptions of the consumer public surrounding issues similar to (and including) the H1N1 flu virus, and other unforeseen issues — will crop up and create stumbling blocks.

But it’s happened before, and in talking to folks in the industry, it appears that maybe, possibly, processors have prepared themselves in a relatively positive fashion, overall, and could benefit from a gradual climb sooner rather than later. It doesn’t mean rainbows and sunshine days are here, but maybe the forecast isn’t as cloudy as it appeared months ago.