Turkey Sector: Background & Statistics

Turkey meat production in the United States during January-September 2022 was 3.91 billion pounds, down about 7 percent from a year earlier. For the most current coverage of the turkey market, see the monthly newsletter Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Outlook. 

Production Statistics

Value of turkey production:

  • 2017: $4.87 billion
  • 2018: $3.79 billion
  • 2019: $4.32 billion
  • 2020: $5.17 billion
  • 2021: $5.89 billion

Data are reported annually in the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Poultry-Production and Value report.

U.S. turkey meat production (ready-to-cook weight):

  • 2017: 5.98 billion pounds
  • 2018: 5.88 billion pounds
  • 2019: 5.82 billion pounds
  • 2020: 5.74 billion pounds
  • 2021: 5.56 billion pounds
  • 2022: 5.19 billion pounds (WASDE projection as of November 2022, see the Latest Report or ERS's WASDE at a Glance visualization) 

Data are reported on the ERS Livestock and Meat Domestic Data web page, and forecasts are reported in the monthly World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report.

State turkey production, 2021:  

Top eight States:

  • MN – 40.5 million birds
  • NC – 30.0 million birds
  • AR – 27.0 million birds
  • IN - 20.5 million birds
  • MO – 17.0 million birds
  • VA – 14.5 million birds
  • IA - 11.7 million birds
  • PA – 6.9 million birds 

U.S. total turkey production: 216.5 million birds

Data are reported in the NASS Poultry-Production and Value report.

Consumption Statistics

U.S. domestic use of turkey (disappearance):

  • 2017: 5.35 billion pounds
  • 2018: 5.29 billion pounds
  • 2019: 5.26 billion pounds
  • 2020: 5.20 billion pounds
  • 2021: 5.09 billion pounds
  • 2022: 4.86 billion pounds (WASDE projection as of November 2022, see the Latest Report or ERS's 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 Domestic Data web page.

U.S. turkey disappearance per capita:

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 Domestic Data web page.

Trade Statistics

U.S. turkey meat exports:

  • 2017: 622 million pounds
  • 2018: 611 million pounds
  • 2019: 639 million pounds
  • 2020: 571 million pounds
  • 2021: 548 million pounds
  • 2022: 417 million pounds (WASDE projection as of November 2022, see the Latest Report or ERS's 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:     

  • 2017 average: $0.96 per pound
  • 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 (WASDE projection as of November 2022, see the Latest Report or ERS's 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 Domestic Data web page.