Don’t go bacon my heart: US says pig shortage claims are mere porkies
US pork producers have been forced to defend themselves after a ham-fisted online debate led many to believe the nation was short of bacon.
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Concerns surfaced on Twitter under hashtags #BaconShortage and #BaconReserves after the US Department of Agriculture data showed frozen pork belly reserves were waning.
https://twitter.com/SputnikInt/status/826973416913768448
The country's bacon reserves are at the lowest levels in half a century. https://t.co/7KQpvwK6Zj pic.twitter.com/WWDfJNol8D
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) February 1, 2017
Bacon is cut from frozen pork belly, so the data showing reserves had hit 8.2m kg in December (down from 22.7m kg the year before) was a particular concern for a country that will not be parted from its bacon, as demonstrated in this thought-provoking documentary:
But the Ohio Pork Council, which initially pointed out the problem, quickly sought to calm the situation by saying the US is producing "more pigs than ever".
The low reserves have been put down to the fact that fresh supplies were being produced more quickly, and less was being frozen.