A study by the American Meat Institute shows that the meat and poultry industry contributes about $832 billion, or 6% of total GDP, to the U.S. economy.
It also shows that the industry employs 6.2 million people and pays $200 billion in wages and benefits.
Conducted by John Dunham and Associates in New York City, the study also suggests that the industry generates sizeable tax revenues - more than $81 billion in taxes to federal, state and local governments and more than $2 billion in state sales taxes.