; CHICKEN MEDIA SUMMIT
US chicken producers shrug off high corn
prices, eye global markets
Feed costs are high and volatile, but US chicken is positioned to ;ll soaring
global demand for meat protein, say executives at three of the nation’s
biggest chicken companies.
BY GARY THORNTON
Projected growth in meat protein consumption
EU- 27 + 3.0%
North Asia + 47.7%
North America + 7.5%
East Asia + 23.7%
Central America +29%
Africa +70.2%
Middle East
+ 41.4%
Southeast Asia + 48.7%
South America + 32.2%
Oceania + 23.3%
Poultry exporters have their sights on serving a world population expected to surpass 7. 5 billion by 2020 and 9 billion by 2050.
;;Top executives at three of the largest U.S.
chicken companies spoke at the Food Media
Summit on April 19 and shared this message:
Feed costs are a serious challenge to pro;tability due to high and volatile corn prices, but U.S.
chicken is positioned to tap what is forecasted
to be soaring global demand for meat protein.
The U.S. chicken industry’s outlook is
bright, despite near-term concerns about feed
costs and consumer demand, according to ex-
ecutives from Pilgrim’s Inc., Sanderson Farms
and Perdue Farms. The panel discussed ways in
which the U.S. poultry industry is responding to
high feed ingredient costs, including the impor-
tation of foreign grains by U.S. producers.
Challenged by high feed costs but profitable for now
Lampkin Butts, president and chief operat-
