Tidbits about the turkey

OHIO - Have you finished your turkey leftovers yet? The turkey serves as the centerpiece of the Thanksgiving meal as families gathered together this past weekend. The tradition of having a turkey for the Thanksgiving meal dates back to the beginning of this country.

The following information about turkeys is from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service.

For example, did you know that the average weight of turkeys harvested in 2005 was 28.2 pounds, up from 27.2 pounds a year ago?

Historically, turkeys have increased in average weight annually for at least the past 40 years. The average weight has increased 57 percent since 1965, when turkeys averaged 18 pounds. Over the past decade alone, turkeys have averaged a 5-pound weight gain, from 23.2 pounds in 1995 to 28.2 pounds in 2005.

Turkey production in the United States is a multibillion-dollar industry. During 2004, the value of turkey production in the United States totaled $3.07 billion, according to the USDA. This total was up 14 percent from the $2.7 billion reported in 2003.

Producers have also seen an increase in the price received for turkeys. In October 2005, the average turkey price received by farmers was a record high 52.9 cents per pound, up 4.8 cents from a year earlier. USDA estimates show that 256 million turkeys will be raised in the United States during 2005, down 3 percent from last year.

Source: Zanesville Times Recorder.com

28 November 2005