Poultry industry's confidence higher than for US consumers

Confidence higher in US poultry industry than general economy: Poultry industry members are more confident in their own economic outcome even if it is not driven by the U.S. financial markets.

A WATT-Rennier Poultry Confidence Index poll (take the new survey) shows that nearly 60 percent of the respondents in the poultry industry think they will be better off financially in the next 12 months (see chart). However, only 40 percent said they were confident in U.S. financial markets.
These numbers were reversed for the general consumer population. Among this wider audience, a majority were confident in the U.S. financial markets while only a minority felt they would be financially better over the next year.
It’s not clear why these differences exist, but regardless, poultry industry workers are more confident in their own outcome even if it is not driven by the U.S. financial markets. The Poultry Confidence Index has recently risen faster than the Consumer Confidence Index. These findings support the conclusion that the poultry industry may likely perform better than the general market over the near term.
Be part of the survey!
Join the Poultry Confidence Index panel and receive advance reports of survey results. Take the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/S6K2XMR 

Poultry industry personnel plan to work after retirement

An astonishing nine of 10 respondents to the WATT-Rennier Poultry Confidence Index (take the new survey) said they are likely to keep working after retirement. Nearly two-thirds said they were "very likely" to stay active in the working world.
The trend to work after retirement may be even more pronounced for those in the poultry industry.
New data from the Employee Benefit Research Institute, for example, shows that only 74% of the general public said they are likely to keep working after retirement.
The labor-participation rate for workers 55 years of age and older was 42% in 2010 for the general public. This is the highest level since 1975. The current recession most likely played a substantial role in this milestone.

Among those poultry industry personnel who plan to keep working, 68% said they would target the poultry sector. Many said they wanted to continue using the skills they had developed to provide value to an industry they respected. How this trend will affect the labor pool is not entirely clear, but it could have ramifications down the road for those wanting to break into the industry. Be part of the survey!
Join the Poultry Confidence Index panel and receive advance reports of survey results. Take the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BYJ527P 

Poultry industry optimism hits record levels

There have been many signs since our last report that the Poultry Confidence Index (PCI) was heading for a record-breaking second quarter:
*positive (PCI) trends over the last several quarters
*three consecutive months of rising consumer confidence
*higher-than-normal prices
*restrained production (across the entire meat and poultry sector)
*lower feed costs
*declining fuel prices
And we weren’t disappointed – the PCI rose in a big show of positive industry confidence. The Overall Index now stands at 128.9 (1996=100), up from 114.0 last quarter. The Present Situation Index increased to 146.0 from 79.4. The Expectations Index fell from 137.0 to 117.5, but remained well above the normative level.
In the process, there were several notable findings:
*third-highest Overall Index
*Present Situation Index nearly doubled in one quarter as the Present Conditions Index reached its third-highest level
*all top-line and sub-indices were positive for the first time since early 2005
*highest overall average across all sub-indices
It was truly a remarkable quarter. We hope there is more of this to come.
The PCI focused on two additional issues this quarter:
*about half of respondents indicated a double-dip recession was “not at all likely” or only “possible,” while the other half said it was “more likely than many realize” or there was “at least a 50-50 chance”
*nearly three-in-four respondents were “guarded” about the U.S. trade situation with both Russia and China.
Would you like to be among industry leaders sharing your views in the WATT-Rennier Poultry Confidence Index? Join other key decision makers who are sharing their views. We'll send you a short, two-minute survey once a quarter and you'll receive a preview of the findings before they are published!
Report by Greg Rennier, Ph.D - President, Rennier Associates Inc.

Regulatory issues at forefront for poultry

Regulatory issues are the top concern of poultry decision makers from around the world, according to a poll conducted by the WATT-Rennier Poultry Confidence Index (PCI).
Many respondents pointed to the increased cost of doing business associated with aggressive government regulation. Potential profits were evaporating as non-science-based legislation drove up costs associated with disease control and monitoring.
As one respondent said, “Regulators are coming after us, and it’s going to cost us all.”
Regulatory Issues was the most-selected industry concern, earning the top ranking in three of the four regions – USA/Canada, Europe and Asia. Meat/Poultry Supply and Demand was next on the list for USA/Canada and Europe.
In Asia, Environmental Issues were as important as Regulatory Issues (tied for top spot). Concerns were different in South and Central America as the top-two issues were General Economy and the Export Market.
Input Costs (excluding grain) was the third most important issue in three of the four regions.
Finally, three issues never made the top-three list for any region – Bird Health/Disease, Credit Availability and Grain Prices.
In their rankings of issues from a pre-defined list, respondents indicated that their concerns were more similar than different across geographic regions, said Dr. Greg Rennier.

Top three poultry issues by geographic region
Issues USA /Canada Europe Asia South & Central America

Regulatory issues 1st 1st 1st

Meat/poultry supply, demand 2nd 2nd


Input costs (excluding grain) 3rd 3rd 3rd

Jobs 3rd


General economy 1st 1st

Environmental issues 1st

Export market 3rd


Bird health/disease

Credit availability

Grain prices