USDA projects total beef supply down in 2015

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has released their predictions for U.S. beef supplies for 2015.

Reported by Cattle Network, the USDA predictions for 2015 are as follows:

• Beginning beef stocks are projected at 495 million pounds, down 89 million pounds from 2014.

• Beef production is projected at 23.736 billion pounds, down 794 million pounds from 2014.

• Beef imports are projected at 2.7 billion pounds, down 123 million pounds from 2014.

• Total beef supply (production + imports) is projected at 26.931 billion pounds, down 1 billion pounds from 2014.

• Beef exports are projected at 2.525 billion pounds in 2015, down 74 million pounds from 2014.

• Beef consumption is projected at 23.921 billion pounds in 2015, down 922 million pounds from 2014.

• Beef consumption per capita is projected at 52.2 pounds, down 2.4 pounds from 2014.