Commercial Red Meat Production Hits Monthly High

Commercial red meat production for the United States totalled 3.95 billion
pounds in June, a new record high for the month, up 4% from the
3.81 billion pounds produced in June 2002.

Beef production, at 2.39 billion pounds, was 4% above the previous
year and was a monthly record high. Cattle slaughter totalled 3.25 million
head, up 6% from June 2002.  The average live weight was down
19 pounds from the previous year, at 1,217 pounds.

Commercial Red Meat Production:  United States

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                :       :       :       : Jun 03 % of  :      Jan - Jun 2/
                :  Jun  :  May  :  Jun  :---------------------------------------
      Class     : 2002  : 2003  : 2003  :  Jun  : May  :       :       :03 as %
                :       :       :       : 2002  : 2003 : 2002  : 2003  : of 02
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                :---- Million Pounds ---     Percent    Million Pounds  Percent
                :
Beef            :2,302   2,363   2,391     104    101  13,210  13,194     100
Veal            :   14.6    15.8    15.0   102     95      92.5    97.0   105
Pork            :1,479   1,550   1,527     103     99   9,578   9,624     100
Lamb & Mutton   :   15.1    15.2    15.2   100    100     111.4    98.9    89
                :
Total Red Meat  :3,811   3,943   3,948     104    100  22,992  23,014     100
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1/  Based on packers' dressed weights and excludes farm slaughter.
2/  Accumulated totals and percentages based on unrounded data.
 

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