This year has been a year of unprecedented challenge for the beef industry as we all adapted to navigate a changed world amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Because of COVID-19, 2020 is the ultimate anomaly. Millions of Americans are working from home or sequestered at home. The marketplace disruption caused by COVID-19 spells uncertainty for the year’s most anticipated food and beverage trends.

Driven by the huge increase in at-home meal occasions during the COVID-19 pandemic, bacon, like numerous other proteins, has seen an upsurge in overall buyers vs. a year ago for the latest 52 weeks, ending June 14, 2020, in multi-retail outlets, excluding convenience, according to IRI, Chicago. 

It is time for independent processors to step forward and take a well-deserved bow. During the last few months, our industry has struggled to keep up with the consumer demand for meat and poultry products and has met those difficulties head-on.

After years of increasing revenues, prepared-foods activity is crashing as consumers switch to homemade meals as they seek safety and savings in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Feed ingredients are the No. 1 cost component of the protein business, followed by labor and energy. Oil prices are historically linked to feed-ingredient crops. 

Similar to many other meat products, sausage sales are booming as a huge portion of the population eats more meals at home in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the closure of restaurants.

The American Association of Meat Processors welcomes Niki Cloud to the position of Convention Manager/Membership Services Coordinator. 

I don’t need to tell you that we are living and working in unprecedented times. Business has been good, but not without its challenges. Independent processors all across the country have worked tirelessly to find ways to meet the demand of a growing customer base while trying to mitigate the risks to their staff and families.

What will be your favorite part of the AAMP Convention? Will it be the educational sessions, the trade show, networking with old and new friends, or perhaps the American Cured Meat Championships (ACMC)?