The number of turkeys to be raised in the United States in 2022 is expected to be 2% less than it was in 2021, according to a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) report.
The new estimates were featured in the Turkeys Raised report, issued by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) on September 23. NASS estimated that by the end of the year, 212 million turkeys will have been raised, compared to 216.5 million turkeys raised in 2021.
These estimates were made as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) continues to strike in U.S. turkey flocks, resulting in their depopulation. With the most recent HPAI case, confirmed on September 22 in McPherson County, South Dakota, the total number of turkeys lost in the United States to the outbreak in 2022 to more than 6.8 million. Those losses include meat turkeys, turkey breeders, turkey breeder hens, turkey replacement breeder hens and poults.
Changes in top turkey states
The nation’s two largest turkey producing states – Minnesota and North Carolina – are expected to produce 35% less head than they did in 2021, which collectively would amount to 5 million fewer turkeys.
In terms of the largest projected drop in production, South Dakota is projected to see the largest decline, dropping 32% from 4 million turkeys to 2.7 million.
Other leading turkey producing states with an anticipated drop are California and Michigan with projected percentage drops of 2% each, and Iowa, with an anticipated drop of 1%.
Arkansas, Indiana, Ohio and West Virginia are predicted to maintain the same levels achieved in 2021.
Key states expected to make gains are Pennsylvania, Missouri and Virginia. Pennsylvania’s expected to be the biggest gainer on a percentage basis, increasing 16% from 6.9 million turkeys to 8 million turkeys. Missouri is expecting a 3% increase while Virginia is expecting a gain of 1%. All other states are collectively expected to increase turkey production by 2%.
The NASS report is based on estimates made from data collected from all known operations raising 1,000 or more turkeys annually.
