CONTENTS 28 Bacon lovers gather in droves around the country to celebrate the iconic pork belly. Cover: Bacon continues its popularity throughout all channels. Consumption of the ever-popular smoked pork belly is expected to rise through 2020. 08 COMMENTARY 90 NEW PRODUCTS 10 BUSINESS NOTES 14 WASHINGTON 92 FROM THE CORRAL Seventy years strong Defending free trade 70 CORPORATE UPDATE Strategic snapshots Meat on-demand 80 POULTRY PROCESSING Cracking the code on woody breast syndrome 86 FOOD SAFETY Blockchain unbound Making the grade 94 INDUS T RY C A L ENDA R 96 SHOWCASE 98 NAMES IN THE NEWS 100 CLASSIFIEDS 105 ADVERTISERS 106 THE INSIDER BACON REPORT 16 BY THE NUMBERS Bacon demand is still smokin' 18 COMPANY PROFILE Applegate believes 24 INNOVATIVE IDEAS Blue ribbon bacon 28 MEAT MARKETING Festival flurry 38 TOOLS OF THE TRADE Making the cuts 44 PACKAGING SOLUTIONS Bacon on the move 54 INGREDIENT ISSUES Upgrading bacon 62 NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT Bacon to go 4 MEAT+ POULTRY | 10.17 | www.meatpoultry.com On the cover: ©krasyuk - stock.adobe.com; this page: Katja Kruppe, Igor Normann - Fotolia - stock.adobe.com 74 SMALL BUSINESS Evolving palateshttp://stock.adobe.com http://stock.adobe.com http://www.meatpoultry.com