Bacon packages shrink as pork prices soar

Get rid of these massive pig barns and go back to free range and watch a lot of these problems disappear.

Keep that yankee pork out of our country and 99% of the problems would be solved.

How so, how will it lower prices.

I bought a big batch of pork chops some time ago, and was blown away how cheap it was compared to beef or chicken. That's coming to an end, guess I'm in for sticker shock. Bacon, I haven't noticed any increase, but I only buy President's choice Wiltshire whatever it's called (very little fat, side bacon?) That was never cheap.

Pig barns breed diseases. The larger the barn, the more disease (which equates to loss), and the more vaccinations, etc., that must be administered. Not to mention, most are under contract and are forced to "feed" the hogs a gawdawful concoction of steroids, hormones, and lord knows what else, which also drive operation costs sky high. Go back to the old fashioned way, and smaller operations will thrive without all of the unnecessary overhead (which is just a bunch of crap that's gonna kill the consumers anyway).

We only buy free range everything (or shoot it). This year, we bought a pig directly from the farmer. Free range, no barns, no additives, no preservatives, chemicals, hormones.....nadda. Just delicious pork. Can't even compare that store bought crap to this stuff.

Yeah, you live in the country. Go back to free range for the masses and I think prices would shoot up. I'm big on grass fed beef, they do it in Australia on a large, commercial basis without it costing too much. But could we do that here at a price around that of what we pay now?

I figure if the old fashioned way was anywhere near competitive people would be doing it. You just find it cheap because your farmer has no transportation and marketing costs - you're buying it at wholesale prices.

Hell for certain meat you don't even need a farmer. In the boonies, you can go out, shoot your own moose 'n deer, meat galore!

Hmmm... moose jerky.

Awesome.

The switch to smaller packages began long ago. What I'm surprised at is how many people are so fucking stupid they never noticed the bacon on sale was 25% smaller.
But it's part of the trend towards consumer stupidity they've disconnected the concept of price per weight or volume.
90% of the meat in the local stores is that prepackaged vacuum sealed Alberta scab meat. The weight means nothing. The package is $5 or $6 or $8... looking closely at the weight, I've seen it vary by 30% from one pkg to another.
I mean for fuck's sakes they're paying a dollar more for half-cans of Coke!

No, I don't live in he country. I just hunt there.

Not everyone could be catered to the old fashioned way, but far more people could be. Many choose not to because it's inconvenient. I have no problem with that. A little inconvenience is well worth the privilege of eating real food. And, cost wise, we paid about $2.00/lb. I'd say that's damned economical.

@Saturn - I know a few people who hunt. They say once you factor in the cost of your licenses, tickets, transport to and from the bush, processing/butchering fees, etc... game costs more pe pound than most meat from the grocery store.

@Herbie - "Alberta scab meat"?

@WRG - Like andy said, you paid wholesale. If I could afford to buy a whole ;ig or cow I would love to, but that's a lot of money up front, and a lot of freezer space. Not practical for most people.

Most people 'round these parts already have the licences they need (PAL etc.).

Game tags aren't all that expensive. http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/FW ... 44610.html

Up here we already live in the bush, just have to make sure we're outside the municipal boundaries.

Butchering fees? Nah you just do that yourself.

This packaging downsizing trick has been used all over the place. Remember, a few years ago when concentrated frozen fruit juice containers suddenly got shorter? Suddenly, we were paying the same amount for 25% less juice. it happened quietly and without fuss. You'll find that the same thing has already happened with products ranging from boxes of cereal to tins of cocoa.

No, but I bet a quarter would work.

Split among friends.

I had a half pig, once that was raised by a friend (Jewish farmer!!) in the old fashioned way that pigs were raised until the last few decades. It was slaughtered and cured by a local country butcher in the Ottawa Valley. It was by far, the best pork that I've ever eaten. Unfortunately, he doesn't do pigs anymore.

I get mine, along with chicken, from local Hutterites. It is the way things should taste! Another local farm raises buffalo and elk. The local butcher features local beef and lamb, and is a German trained sausage maker. I make my own sausages, and they can't compare to store bought.

Yes, it's more expensive, but it's also tastier and worth every penny. Here's a trick - take those $20 pork loins (not tasty) and cure them and smoke them yourself. For a couple weeks stay in the fridge, you wind up with $120 work of back bacon if you had bought it in store at their prices. Screw pork belly! The loin is where it's at.