OMG! Global bacon shortage means … nevermind, it’s not that bad

Civilization might have dodged the whole Mayan “end of the world” bullet (so far, at least), but we’re not out of the woods yet. That’s because a much more serious dilemma lies ahead. Yes, even more serious than the end of the world. We’re talking about the pending global bacon shortage known as “The Aporkalypse.”

It was reported last week by just about every news outlet with a hankering for sensationalism and salty snacks that droughts in theU.S. and other countries have destroyed crops used to feed pigs. Faced with the rising cost of pig feed, farmers worldwide have had to reduce the size of their herds. The result in 2013? A shortage of bacon, ham and other pork products and an increase in the cost of those delectable snacks.

But fear not bacon lovers. The issue appears to have been overstated in the media (surprise, surprise). According to CBS News, the USDA forecasted next year’s pork production at 23 billion pounds, a decrease of only 1.3 percent from this year’s estimated total.

Stephen Colbert, on the other hand, isn’t taking any chances. The Comedy Central pundit is “presently building an underground shelter, and stocking it with all the salted hog meat I can find.” Check out the video below for a peek at Colbert’s Aporkalypse menu.

MARKETING LESSON: Relax, there will still be bacon in 2013. But maybe you should take this opportunity to think about how a shortage of a key ingredient might affect your brand.