Bacon Shortage

Worldwide bacon shortage ‘unavoidable’

By Claudine Zap | The Sideshow

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/world-bacon-shortage-unavoidable-223157784.html

Is it pork-ageddon? Britain's National Pig Association has sounded the alarm that the world should brace for an "unavoidable" bacon and pork shortage next year.

The cause of the trouble is high pig-feed costs caused by what it describes in a press release as "the global failure of maize and soya harvests."

The organization notes that new data shows that pig herds are declining at a significant rate, not just in Britain, but around the world.

The way out of this coming catastrophe is to subsidize pig farmers to stem the loss of their herds, says the industry group. The organization has also launched a "Save Our Bacon" campaign, which encourages consumers to buy British pork products.

It's not just Europe that will be seeing shortages: The U.S. will also face a bacon shortage. The Guardian reports that the cost of bacon has doubled since 2006, and record droughts are to blame. Consumption of bacon is falling as prices have been rising.

"It's not that people don't want to eat pork, it's just that they increasingly can't afford to," economist Steve Meyer told the publication. "We've been warning about this for years. Now that we are talking about bacon, we've really got everyone's attention."

Sure do.

The Twitter response was predictably massive, as commenters took to the microblogging site to bemoan the state of a future porkless plate. @TylerMachado posted, "Maybe we wouldn't be facing a bacon shortage if you twee hipsters didn't put bacon on cupcakes, in mixed drinks, etc." @AJackart added, overdramatically, "I am officially on suicide watch, this is tragic!"

And @ACabot88 wrote, "The Mayans were right, the world is coming to an end."

The Gothamist actually tried to suggest bacon alternatives—soy bacon, anyone?

Few bacon lovers on Twitter seem inspired to try a meat-free diet. Unless forced. Posted @billy_reid_atl, "World without bacon? Say it isn't so! Enjoy it now... while you can."

@Hilda was already thinking outside the grocery store: "All this bacon shortage talk has me thinking, if I can't have backyard chickens, maybe I can get away with a backyard pig?"

Update
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/bacon-s-big-moment--low-prices-and-soaring-demand-173042650.html

Bacon's big moment: Low prices and soaring demand

By Yahoo Finance

May 19, 2015 1:30 PM

Sinking prices from suppliers as well as consumer demand are making this, the age of bacon!

From high-end restaurants to local greasy spoons and big name fast food chains like Wendy’s (WEN) and McDonalds (MCD), eateries are taking advantage of lower pork prices.

A Bloomberg report citing USDA data says the supermarket price of the delicious cut of pork is down 25% in the last year. The wholesale price is even better, down 45% over the same time period. How has bacon enjoyed such a run with American eaters when headlines espouse a public looking for healthier options?

Yahoo Finance Senior Columnist Mike Santoli says there is a divide between what people say they want and how they act. “They aspire to eat a certain way,” he notes, “and some people are very strict about eating more healthy and less processed foods. But I think you also have things like Sonic (SONC) and Jack in the Box (JACK) and these fast food chains that are unabashed about giving you indulgent stuff. They’re doing great.”

Also helping bacon succeed is the popularity of the paleo diet. Similar to the Atkins diet rage of a decade ago the latest fad, according to PaleoLeap.com “should be high in fat, moderate in animal protein and low to moderate in carbohydrates.”

Sounds like a recipe for success if you’re a pork producer.

But forget all that, says Yahoo Finance’s Aaron Task. Good for you, bad for you, cheap or expensive Task says, “bacon is good all the time for everybody. Let’s be honest...There’s nothing not to like about bacon.”