Thanksgiving is approaching, which means it’s time to start thinking about your dinner table conversations. If you’re celebrating Thanksgiving in North Carolina — or sharing your table with someone from the Tar Heel state — you can start by looking down at your plate. North Carolina is not only the top producer of sweet potatoes in the United States, but also ranks as one of the top turkey-producing states. Here are a few fun facts about NC turkeys:
32.5 million
The number of turkeys North Carolina produced in 2018, or 3.1 turkeys for every resident in the state.
1.2 billion
Pounds of turkey produced by North Carolina in 2018, meaning each bird produced weighed, on average, 36.8 pounds.
2
North Carolina’s rank in turkey production in 2018. The top-producing states were Minnesota (42 million turkeys), North Carolina (32.5 million), and Arkansas (31.5 million).
14%
North Carolina’s share of national turkey production.
$610 million
The estimated value of turkeys produced in North Carolina in 2018. This is down from a high of $994 million in 2016 and may reflect relatively lower wholesale prices that emerged in 2017.
9
Number of North Carolina counties producing more than 1 million turkeys each in 2018. Sampson County was the leading producer (7.7 million), followed by Wayne (5.1 million), Union (4.2 million), and Duplin (3.7 million) counties.
52%
Share of NC turkeys produced in Sampson (24%), Wayne (16%), and Union (13%) counties. Sampson has been the leading producer of turkeys in NC in recent years. Duplin used to be the second largest producer in the state but was surpassed by Wayne and Union in the most recent estimates.
1
The number of people at Carolina Demography who will be eating a Thanksgiving turkey won at the 2019 NC State Fair. Below, a close family member of Rebecca Tippett shows off his prize-winning Turkey Shoot target that resulted in winning a frozen turkey.
7
The number of people at Carolina Demography wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving!
All data presented here was sourced from the USDA Economic Research Service and National Agricultural Statistics Service.
Need help understanding population change and its impacts on your community or business? Carolina Demography offers demographic research tailored to your needs.
Contact us today for a free initial consultation.
Contact UsCategories: NC in Focus
The Center for Women’s Health Research (CWHR) at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine released the 12th edition of our North Carolina Women’s Health Report Card on May 9, 2022. This document is a progress report on the…
Dr. Krista Perreira is a health economist who studies disparities in health, education, and economic well-being. In collaboration with the Urban Institute, she recently co-led a study funded by the Kate B. Reynolds Foundation to study barriers to access to…
Our material helped the NC Local News Lab Fund better understand and then prioritize their funding to better serve existing and future grant recipients in North Carolina. The North Carolina Local News Lab Fund was established in 2017 to strengthen…
Your support is critical to our mission of measuring, understanding, and predicting population change and its impact. Donate to Carolina Demography today.