July Meat Supplies
Up 3% From Year Ago

WASHINGTON —(USDA)— Total red meat supplies in freezers July 31 decreased three percent from June, but were up three percent from July 1997.

Frozen beef supplies were unchanged from last year at 302,447,000 pounds, four percent less than the previous month. Beef cuts were up 26 percent from a year ago while boneless beef was down three percent.

Frozen pork stocks at 415,120,000 pounds were three percent below last month, but were up seven percent from last year. Stocks of pork bellies were down 40 percent from last month and were seven percent below a year ago.

Veal was one percent less than a year ago at 5,011,000 pounds and four percent below June.

Lamb and mutton in storage was down 15 percent from a year ago at 15,769,000 pounds and two percent below June.

Total frozen poultry supplies increased one percent from last month at 1.26 billion pounds, but were down nine percent from last year's level. Total stocks of chicken at 564,149,000 pounds decreased five percent during the month and were 15 percent below 1997. Total pounds of turkey in freezers at 693,565,000 pounds increased six percent from last month, but were three percent below last year.