Frozen food stocks in refrigerated warehouses on September 30, 1997, were greater than year earlier levels for butter, concentrated orange juice, fruit, potatoes, meat, turkey, and vegetables. Cooler stocks of pears, peanuts, natural cheese, and apples were higher than a year earlier.

Total red meat supplies in freezers decreased 1 percent from August, but were up 7 percent from September 1996. Frozen pork stocks were 8 percent below last month, but were up slightly from last year. Stocks of pork bellies were down 39 percent from last month and were 12 percent below a year ago.

Total frozen poultry supplies increased 1 percent from both last month and last year. Total stocks of chicken decreased 2 percent during the month and were 6 percent below 1996. Total pounds of turkey in freezers increased 4 percent from last month and were up 7 percent from last year's level.

Public cooler occupancy was at 48 percent of capacity, up 2 points from a year ago. Public freezer occupancy at 69 percent was up 3 points from last month and 2 points above the year earlier level.

The U.S. Agriculture Department reported stocks in cold storage on September 30, 1997, with comparisons as follows, in thousand pounds:

 			9/30/96 	8/31/97 	9/30/97 
Frozen Beef
Boneless		284,208		294,276		317,727
Beef Cuts 		 27,971 	 30,419 	 30,009
Total Frozen Beef	312,179		324,695		347,736
(Gov't owned)		  6,478		  4,227		  4,940

Frozen Pork
Picnics, bone-in	  6,156		  9,986		 11,948
Hams, total		 94,167		113,485		101,296
Bone-in			 62,260		 64,394		 60,037
Boneless		 31,907		 49,091		 41,259
Bellies			 12,702		 18,346		 11,123
Loins, total		 13,354		 14,626		 15,317
Bone-in			  5,417		  7,408		  6,482
Boneless		  7,937		  7,218		  8,835
Ribs			 34,080		 23,445		 31,477
Butts			  5,603		  4,069		  4,497
Trimmings		 33,915		 42,445		 35,590
Other			 86,806		 83,724		 72,781
Variety Meats		 37,403		 49,960		 45,200
Unclassified 		 16,082 	 11,631 	 12,682
Total			340,268		371,717		341,911
(Gov't owned)		    553		    348		    744

Other
Veal			  6,493		  5,117		  5,878
Lamb & Mutton 	 11,249 	 19,383 	 18,841
Total Other		 17,742		 24,500		 24,719

Canned
Canned Hams		  7,362		  9,266		  8,456
Other Canned Meats 	    820 	  1,413 	  2,861
Total Canned 		  8,182 	 10,679 	 10,524
Total Meats		678,371		731,591		724,890

Frozen Poultry
Chickens
Broilers (whole)	 34,918		 28,145		 25,418
Hens			 14,099		  7,900          10,662
Other Chicken		538,474		530,900		516,817
Total Chicken		587,491		566,945		552,897

Turkeys
Whole			509,525		478,733		531,550
Other 			211,496 	263,283 	237,987
Total Turkeys		721,021		724,016		769,537

Ducks			  1,570		  2,277		  2,633

Frozen Poultry
Total		      1,310,082	      1,311,238       1,325,067