Sausage benefits today as a platform for consumers’ desire for more protein, indulgence in moderation and strong flavors. It’s also seeing growth from an unlikely source — the clean-label, health crowd.

America’s pig farmers produced a record-breaking number of market hogs in 2016, resulting in ample supplies of pork at the retail meat case and in restaurants.

The meat and poultry industry is much healthier in 2016 than it was in 2015.

After a year of volatility because of avian influenza, smaller cattle herds and weak exports, a quiet rebuilding year is welcome.

The meat and poultry industry has been a lot like the weather of late: As soon as you have it figured out, it changes.

Most Americans (89 percent) agree it is important to eat enough protein in their diet, and that protein can be part of a heart healthy diet (86 percent), reports Washington, D.C.-based International Food Information Council Foundation (IFIC)’s Food and Health Survey 2015.

Early this summer, Andy Hanacek, editor-in-chief of The National Provisioner checked in with Chef Christopher Hansen, corporate executive chef at OSI Group, to get his thoughts on some of the trends driving meat and poultry culinary strategies, and how his company was responding to some of these big-picture targets.