North Carolina’s turkey industry has been thriving, with the state producing over 1 billion pounds of turkey in 2022. The state’s agricultural background, with more than 5,700 farms, has helped support the production of poultry and other poultry products like eggs. The poultry industry in North Carolina generates over 148,000 jobs, with the turkey sector alone valued at $1.1 billion.
Although Minnesota produced more live turkeys in 2024, North Carolina had the highest total production of turkey for that year. The state produced roughly 27.5 million turkeys, with an average bird size of 36.9 pounds each. This accounted for 15.3% of the nation’s total turkey output by weight, with North Carolina and Minnesota together contributing to more than 30% of overall turkey production in the United States.
The United States as a whole produced an estimated 5.11 billion pounds of turkey in 2022, with Thanksgiving Day alone seeing the consumption of 46 million turkeys. North Carolina’s significant contribution to the turkey industry highlights the state’s importance in supporting Thanksgiving tables nationwide.
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