A new study shows the U.S. meat and poultry industry accounts for $1.02 trillion in total economic output or 5.6 percent of gross domestic product (GDP).
The economic impact analysis was conducted by John Dunham & Associates for the North American Meat Institute.
According to the study, the meat and poultry sector is responsible for 5.4 million jobs and $257 billion in wages. About 2 million full-time equivalent jobs—including real estate services, trucking and container manufacturing—are created in firms that supply goods and services to the meat and poultry industry. Jobs ranging from restaurant workers to automobile mechanics and bakers to refrigerator manufacturers make up an additional 1.57 million people that are dependent on the re-spending of wages by meat and poultry, as well as supplier industry employees.
“The companies and the people that produce, process, distribute and sell nutritious meat and poultry products are an essential part of the U.S. economy,” Meat Institute President and CEO Barry Carpenter said. “We are proud that we provide millions of quality jobs in every state and every sector of the U.S. economy and that these jobs ensure people in North America and around the world have access to our high quality, nutritious and affordable products.”
The study also captured the economic impact of supplies to the industry and the total induced impact, or multiplier effect, on the economy of spending by employees of the direct industry and supplier firms.
“While meat and poultry plants are not found in every city in America, our products have a large presence and create millions of jobs and economic impact nationwide,” said Brian Coehlo, NAMI chairman and president of Central Valley Meat in Hanford, California. “I’m proud that my company’s economic impact helps puts California’s 21st Congressional district on the top 25 list of districts with the biggest meat and poultry industry-generated economic impact.”