Statistics
During the last two decades, the turkey industry has come from a single-product, holiday-oriented business into a fully integrated industry with a diversified product line that competes with other protein products on a year-round basis. The following information provides an overview of the turkey industry's growth.
Turkey Consumption
Turkey consumption has increased 108 percent since 1970, due to consumers' recognition of turkey's good taste and nutritional value.
In 2006, U.S. consumption of turkey was 16.9 pounds per person.
More and more Americans are realizing that turkey is not just for the holidays. Although 50 percent of all turkey consumed in 1970 was during the holidays, today that number is only 27 percent as more people enjoy delicious turkey year-round.
* Figures Rounded
In 2006, Turkey was the #4 protein choice for American consumers.
2006 Per Capita Consumption in Pounds
Chicken
Beef
Pork
Turkey
Lamb & Mutton
|
86.9
65.7
49.3
16.9
1.0 |
Turkey Production
Turkey production in the United States has doubled since 1970, meeting consumers' demand as more people choose turkey. With the value added to turkey through processing into a wide variety of cuts, parts and further processed products, the total value of turkey processors' production in 2005 was more than $12.3 billion.
An estimated 269.8 million turkeys will be raised in 2007.
As consumption rises to approximately 5.2 billion pounds, the number of turkeys raised continues to increase in many states. The following are America's top turkey producing states.
Turkeys: Number Raised 2005-2006*
| State |
2005
|
2006 |
% of 2005 |
|
Minnesota
North Carolina
Arkansas
Virginia
Missouri
California
Indiana
Pennsylvania
Iowa
South Carolina
Ohio
Other States
US Total |
44.5
35.5
28.5
20
20
14.5
13.4
10.5
9
8
6
42.2
*252.0
|
45
37.5
30
21.5
20
15.8
13.8
10.5
8.2
9.6
5.1
45
*261.9
|
101.1
105.6
105.2
107.5
100
108.9
102.9
100
91.1
120
85
106.6
103.9
|
*Numbers raised in millions
(*Estimate Source: Agricultural Statistics Board, NASS, USDA)
Top Turkey Processors, 2006 *
|
Live Weight* Processed (Million Pounds) |
Butterball, LLC
Jennie-O Turkey Store
Cargill Turkey Products
House of Raeford
Perdue Farms, Inc.
Virginia Poultry Growers Coop.
Foster Farms
Bill Mar (Sara Lee)
Farbest Foods
Prestage Foods
Oscar Mayer
West Liberty Foods
Cooper Foods
Michigan Turkey Producers
Pilgrims' Pride
Norbest, Inc.
Willowbrook Foods, Inc.
Zacky Farms, LLC.
Dakota Provisions
Turkey Valley Farms
Northern Pride Turkey
White Water Proc.
|
1349
1265
961
250
249
225
223
220
213
210
205
196.7
180
171
166
158
155.4
131.3
127
97
40
35.9
|
(*Estimates for 2006 from 2007 Watt Poultry USA)
Total Pounds of Turkey Produced
Live Weight and Ready to Cook (RTC)
| Year |
Number of Turkeys* |
Live Weight** |
RTC** (Inspected) |
|
|
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
|
261
282
285
290
288
287
293
303
301
286
270
270
273
275
274
264
256
262
|
5.468
6.043
6.115
6.355
6.433
6.541
6.779
7.233
7.225
7.062
6.877
6.960
7.173
7.495
7.487
7.305
7.207
7.417
|
4.175
4.561
4.652
4.829
4.848
4.992
5.129
5.446
5.478
5.281
5.296
5.402
5.562
5.713
5.650
5.454
5.504
5.686
|
*In millions **In billions of pounds
|
Turkey Production Farm Income* |
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
|
2.39
2.35
2.40
2.51
2.64
2.78
3.13
2.88
2.68
|
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
|
2.81
2.82
2.79
2.73
2.69
3.06
3.23
3.55
|
*In billions of dollars
Exports
Like domestic turkey consumption, turkey exports continued to grow throughout the last decade. The following information shows the worldwide popularity of American turkey products.
Total Export Value*
| 1992 |
1993 |
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
1998 |
1999 |
| $151.4 |
$173.5 |
$197.4 |
$199.7 |
$254.5 |
$327.7 |
$241.9 |
$198.0 |
| |
| 2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
|
| $225.6 |
$265.3 |
$257.1 |
$201.8 |
$299.2 |
$388.6 |
$359.1 |
|
*In millions of dollars
Turkey exports are an increasingly
important aspect of U.S. turkey production, especially for turkey parts
and dark meat products.
U.S. Turkey Exports*
| Year |
Whole Body
|
Parts &
Cut-Up |
Total
|
|
|
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
|
16.6
20.3
19.5
24.1
24.8
34.7
40.8
36.6
41.9
33.3
20.3
15.2
26.2
23.3
31.2
33.5
|
105.4
181.5
224.2
256.3
323.2
403.3
565.1
409.6
337.1
412.0
466.6
423.3
456.6
419.7
538.1
512.7
|
122.0
201.8
243.7
280.4
348.0
438.0
605.9
466.1
378.9
445.3
486.9
438.5
482.8
442.5
569.4
546.2
|
*In millions of pounds
Top Five Export Markets for U.S. Turkey Meat, 2006*
Mexico
China
Russia
Canada
Hong Kong
|
310,558
35,430
25,240
22,226
18,203 |
*Thousand pounds |
|
