By Jennifer Dorsett
Field Editor
A coalition of U.S. poultry organizations released an updated economic impact study highlighting the positive effects of the poultry industry on jobs, wages and federal and state revenues.
The report was released on several interactive websites under the theme Poultry Feeds America. Data relating to the overall poultry industry is available at PoultryFeedsAmerica.org, while statistics broken down by the egg, chicken and turkey production sectors are available at the other sites.
Nationally, the poultry industry supports over 2 million U.S. jobs, providing $121 billion in wages. Overall economic impacts of poultry totaled more than $576 billion, with $41.9 billion in government revenue.
Since the last study was conducted in 2018, the U.S. poultry industry’s impact increased by more than 15 percent and created 154,833 additional jobs, according to surveyors John Dunham & Associates, who conducted the research and wrote the report.
“We are pleased to continue providing this valuable tool across the industry that shows the positive economic impact the poultry industry has on our nation and communities,” said John Starkey, president of U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY), which funded the study.
In Texas, broilers and eggs are the second-largest agricultural commodity produced in the state. Total market value of all poultry and eggs sold in Texas in 2017 was $2.991 billion, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 2017 Census of Agriculture. Overall U.S. poultry and egg sales that year were $49.2 billion.
Texas ranks sixth in the nation in broiler production, with most of the chicken farms in the state found in East and Central Texas.
According to the National Chicken Council and USPOULTRY, Texas’ chicken industry created 38,237 direct jobs in the state and an additional 107,698 jobs through related services and industries. The economic impact from companies that grow and process chicken in Texas totaled $38.72 billion, generating about $1.78 billion in federal taxes and $994 million in state and local taxes.
Eggs are an integral part of the Texas economy, as well. According to USPOULTRY and United Egg Producers, businesses such as banks, real estate firms, accountants and printing derive income from the egg industry.
Texas egg-laying farms and related companies employ more than 3,400 people and create an economic impact of $1.134 billion. The egg industry generates $20.74 million in federal taxes and an additional $13.20 million in state and local taxes.
Overall, the poultry and egg sectors employ as many as 40,508 people across the state and an additional 121,249 related jobs.
With a total estimated economic impact of more than $43 billion and supporting more than 161,000 jobs, poultry and egg production in Texas is a well-hatched industry.
Read more about County Farm Bureau member and poultry farmer Kaci Temples here.
Also Lavaca County Farm Bureau members and 2020 Outstanding Young Farmer & Rancher winners Matt and Jessica Hanslik recycle chicken manure from broiler and egg-laying facilities into all-natural fertilizer. You can see more about their operation here.
For a quick lesson on broiler chicken production, click here.