Turkey Sector: Background & Statistics
Turkey meat production in the United States during January–September 2023 was 4.11 billion pounds, up about 5 percent from a year earlier.
Production Statistics
Value of turkey production:
- 2018: $3.79 billion
- 2019: $4.32 billion
- 2020: $5.17 billion
- 2021: $5.89 billion
- 2022: $7.10 billion
Data are reported annually in the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Poultry-Production and Value report.
U.S. turkey meat production (ready-to-cook weight):
- 2018: 5.88 billion pounds
- 2019: 5.82 billion pounds
- 2020: 5.74 billion pounds
- 2021: 5.56 billion pounds
- 2022: 5.22 billion pounds
- 2023: 5.55 billion pounds (WASDE projection as of October 2023, see the Latest Report or USDA, ERS' WASDE at a Glance visualization)
Data are reported on the USDA, ERS Livestock and Meat Domestic Data web page. Forecasts are reported in the monthly World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report.
State turkey production, 2022:
Top eight States:
- Minnesota – 37.0 million birds
- North Carolina – 28.0 million birds
- Arkansas – 26.0 million birds
- Indiana – 20.0 million birds
- Missouri – 17.0 million birds
- Virginia – 15.3 million birds
- Iowa – 11.7 million birds
- Pennsylvania – 7.7 million birds
U.S. total turkey production: 210.0 million birds
Data are reported in the USDA, NASS Poultry-Production and Value report.
Consumption Statistics
U.S. domestic use of turkey (disappearance):
- 2018: 5.29 billion pounds
- 2019: 5.26 billion pounds
- 2020: 5.20 billion pounds
- 2021: 5.09 billion pounds
- 2022: 4.88 billion pounds
- 2023: 5.14 billion pounds (WASDE projection as of October 2023, see the latest report or ERS' WASDE at a Glance visualization)
Recent data and projections are reported in the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report, and historical data are available on the USDA, ERS Livestock and Meat Domestic Data web page.
U.S. turkey disappearance per capita:
- 2018: 16.2 pounds
- 2019: 15.9 pounds
- 2020: 15.7 pounds
- 2021: 15.3 pounds
- 2022: 14.6 pounds
- 2023: 15.3 pounds (WASDE projection as of October 2023, see the latest report or ERS' WASDE at a Glance visualization)
Recent data and projections are reported in the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report, and historical data are available on the USDA, ERS Livestock and Meat Domestic Data web page.
Trade Statistics
U.S. turkey meat exports:
- 2018: 611 million pounds
- 2019: 639 million pounds
- 2020: 571 million pounds
- 2021: 548 million pounds
- 2022: 407 million pounds
- 2023: 455 million pounds (WASDE projection as of October 2023, see the latest report or ERS' WASDE at a Glance visualization)
Recent data and projections are reported in the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report, and historical data are available on the ERS Livestock and Meat International Trade Data web page.
Price Statistics
Wholesale prices* for frozen whole turkey hens:
- 2018 average: $0.80 per pound
- 2019 average: $0.89 per pound
- 2020 average: $1.07 per pound
- 2021 average: $1.23 per pound
- 2022 average: $1.55 per pound
- 2023 average: $1.45 per pound (WASDE projection as of October 2023, see the latest report or ERS' WASDE at a Glance Visualization)
Recent data and projections are reported in the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report, and historical data are available on the USDA, ERS Livestock and Meat Domestic Data web page.
*Wholesale prices indicates prices to retailers, not retail price.