WASHINGTON – Total red meat supplies in cold storage freezers on Sept. 30 were up 3 percent from the previous month and up 15 percent from one year earlier, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, Agricultural Statistics Board, US Department of Agriculture. Total pounds of beef in freezers slipped 2 percent from the previous month and were down slightly from last year.

Frozen pork supplies increased 8 percent from the previous month and 28 percent from last year. Pork belly stocks were up 17 percent from last month and 79 percent from last year.

Meanwhile, total frozen poultry supplies decreased 3 percent from the previous month and 1 percent from one year earlier. Total chicken stocks dropped 1 percent from the previous month and 3 percent from last year. Total pounds of turkey in freezers were down 5 percent from last month but increased 2 percent from Sept. 30, 2011.

Total natural cheese stocks in refrigerated warehouses on Sept. 30 slipped 1 percent from August and were down 5 percent from Sept. 30 last year. Butter stocks were down 3 percent from last month, but increased 29 percent from a year ago. Total frozen fruit stocks increased 2 percent from last month but increased 10 percent from a year ago, while total frozen vegetable stocks increased 11 percent from last month and 2 percent from one year ago.