More than 90% of Americans celebrate Thanksgiving, and millions of them will sit down to turkey on Thursday.
When you think about major turkey-producing states, California isn’t exactly top of mind. But the Golden State contributes about 6.2 million of the birds each year — about 2.8% of the national total, according to the latest report from Trace One, a firm specializing in regulatory compliance for the food and beverage industry.
Over 85% of U.S. turkey production is concentrated in 13 states, including California. North Carolina and Minnesota lead the pack as the top producers — and together are responsible for more than 2 billion pounds of turkey.
Across the country, producers raised about 218 million turkeys in 2023.
California ranks 11th in turkey production by pound and 10th by total turkeys raised, with the birds averaging 31.9 pounds each for a total production of nearly 200 million pounds.
The average size of turkeys raised in the U.S. — 32 pounds — has nearly doubled since the 1960s. This trend has helped maintain relatively high production levels even as the total number of turkeys raised has declined since peaking at about 303 million birds in 1996.
The growth in turkey size is mainly due to selective breeding, improved nutrition and advancements in farming practices. While larger turkeys are more economical per pound, smaller birds offer benefits like greater tenderness, even cooking, and shorter thawing and cooking times. For larger gatherings, preparing two smaller turkeys instead of one large bird increases the availability of popular cuts like wings, drumsticks and thighs.
In 2023, California produced approximately 197.8 million pounds of turkey, a small fraction of the U.S. total of 6.99 billion pounds. That translated to $185.9 million for California, compared to the national total of $6.57 billion.
Although turkey is still a first-choice food for families at Thanksgiving, U.S. turkey production has experienced a decline following decades of growth.
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From 1960 to the mid-1990s, per capita production rose sharply, peaking at 26.8 pounds per person in 1996. Since then, it has steadily declined, dropping to 20 pounds per person in 2022—a 25% decrease. Total production peaked at 7.9 billion pounds in 2008 but has since stabilized at around 7 billion pounds annually.
Several factors contribute to this decline in demand. Health concerns and shifts toward plant-based diets have led many Americans to reduce meat consumption, including turkey. Rising turkey prices, from $0.80 per pound nationally in 2018 to $1.40 per pound in 2023, have further impacted consumption.
In general, turkey production is largely concentrated along or east of the Mississippi River, although California stands out as a notable exception.
