Pork, poultry production to rebound in late 2013Pork, poultry production to rebound in late 2013

The last four months of 2013 are setting up favorably for poultry and hog producers. The combination of lower input costs and record-high broiler and hog prices should be highly profitable and motivating in regard to increasing supply. The decline in feed prices is staggering.  Corn futures for September through December are averaging 32 percent below the first half average. Similarly, soy-meal futures for that period are 14 percent below first-half averages. 

The Agriculture Department is projecting the poultry output for the fourth quarter of 2013 to be up 3.3 percent from a year ago and pork production to be 2.9 percent higher than the fourth quarter of 2012. Those numbers likely will be adjusted higher.

Beef — July’s USDA cattle report...