The USDA raised its forecast for 2016 U.S. broiler, turkey and egg production. The agency released its latest industry projections in its World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report, released on March 9.
U.S. broiler production
The agency raised its projection to 41.1 billion pounds of broiler production in the U.S. for 2016, up from the 41.03 billion pounds projected in the February WASDE report.
The estimates have been raised as the pace of slaughter to date has been higher than expected.
If the broiler production amounts prove accurate, broiler production in the U.S. in 2016 will surpass production for both 2015 and 2014. An estimated 40.05 billion pounds were produced in 2015 and about 38.6 billion pounds were produced in 2014.
U.S. turkey production
The revised forecast for 2016 U.S. turkey production calls for 6 billion pounds, up from the February projection of 5.95 billion pounds.
Similar to the situation with U.S. broilers, the pace of turkey slaughter in 2016 has been higher than what was earlier expected.
The forecast calls for U.S turkey production in 2016 to surpass what it was during each of the past two years. The agency reported that 5.8 billion pounds of turkey were produced in 2014. In 2015, when numerous U.S. turkey flocks were hit by avian influenza, an estimated 5.6 billion pounds of turkey were produced.
U.S. egg production
U.S. egg production estimates in March were raised to 8.3 billion dozen, up from the February estimate of 8.18 billion dozen.
The forecast was raised as table egg production has picked up as the sector has continued to rebuild after the 2015 avian influenza outbreak.
If the projections become a reality, U.S. egg production in 2016 will be up significantly from the nearly 8 billion dozen eggs produced in 2015, but still be down from the 8.43 billion dozen eggs produced in 2014.
