Beef stocks totaled a September record 522.9 million lbs., up 9.1 million lbs. (1.8%) from August though slightly less than the five-year average increase of 12.6 million lbs. during the month. Beef inventories topped year-ago by 83.2 million lbs. (18.9%) and the five-year average by 47.9 million lbs. (10.1%).
Pork stocks totaled 537.9 million lbs., down 717,000 lbs. (0.1%) from August compared to the five-year average increase of 11.9 million lbs. during the month. Pork inventories increased 68.0 million lbs. (14.5%) from last year but were 10.6 million lbs. (1.9%) less than the five-year average.
Total poultry stocks at 1.269 billion lbs. increased 1.7 million lbs. (0.1%) from August and were 113.7 million lbs. (9.8%) above year-ago. But inventories were 114.1 million lbs. (8.3%) below the five-year average for September.