To bring you the versatility, convenience and value of turkey, the U.S. turkey industry safely and reliably processes, packages and delivers a variety of products every day to the roughly 40,000 grocery stores and 650,000 food service facilities across the country. Nearly 450,000 men and women are involved in turkey production to feed approximately 326 million Americans.

Road Trip!

The National Turkey Federation and The Center for Food Integrity have taken a closer look at all the steps that are involved in the food supply chain for turkey. Learn more about the supply chain for meat and poultry.

The turkey we eat begins on the farm where farmers, their families, employees and a team of experts, such as veterinarians, agronomists and nutritionists, work together to feed and raise healthy animals. The U.S. is home to two million farms of all kinds producing the food we enjoy each day.

1. Turkey Farms: Each year about 240 million turkeys are responsibly raised on approximately 2,500 farms across the U.S. Turkey production directly employs nearly 450,000 people in the U.S. on farms, in processing facilities and through related industries such as distribution and equipment manufacturing. Farmers raise turkeys with care by providing constant access to food and water as well as shelter to protect the flock from extreme weather and predators. Veterinarians help farmers take care of their turkeys. Just like people, turkeys can get sick, so vets oversee treatment to keep flocks healthy.
2. Transport: Specially designed trucks carefully and safely transport turkeys from farms to processing facilities for harvesting into whole birds or a variety of cuts.
3. Processing: Across the U.S., turkey processing facilities harvest turkeys in preparation for consumption. USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) ensures that our nation’s turkey supply is wholesome, safe and properly labeled. USDA relies on science to continuously improve safety standards. The turkey industry’s top priority is food safety, and companies follow USDA standards throughout turkey processing and packaging.
4. Cold Storage: Think of this like a large freezer. These locations safely store meat products frozen until the supply chain needs them. Cold storage facilities are critical to food safety and food security. Turkey products, like fruits and vegetables, are highly perishable and temperature sensitive. Products in cold storage can be stored until needed, then used to fill demand around the country or for export markets.Cooking, Cutting and Seasoning: Beyond the facilities that process turkeys into meat, a number of turkey companies specialize in preparing the vast variety of turkey products we enjoy today. This includes activities such as deboning, creating specialty cuts and smoking or cooking to meet many consumer taste preferences. These products may also involve seasoning, sauces and marinating, as well as special packaging to meet market demands for convenient products. Turkey provides many versatile and flavorful menu items for restaurants, custom cuts for retail grocery stores and healthy items for schools and hospitals.
5. Exports: People around the world enjoy U.S. turkey. The U.S. exports approximately 639 million pounds of turkey meat every year. Many export markets enjoy parts of the turkey not often desired by American consumers, such as turkey paws (the feet of the turkey).
6. Service Institutions: We often think of eating at home or grabbing a bite from our favorite restaurant. But don’t forget about other businesses such as hospitals, schools, colleges, retirement homes, military bases and event centers that also prepare and serve turkey. The turkey supply chain is not a straight line, rather it is an intricate web that distributes turkey through numerous channels daily.
7. Restaurants: The U.S. has more than 650,000 food service facilities across the country. This includes all forms of away-from-home eating such as quick-service restaurants, cafes, fine dining, take-out and catering/delivery services.
8. Grocery Stores: Whether shopping online or in store, consumers rely on grocery retailers to provide a selection of healthy and affordable turkey products. Consumers can find turkey in the fresh meat case, the frozen food aisle, the deli counter and in other food products such as soups, snack sticks and frozen entrees.

It takes a vast network of nearly 450,000 men and women to safely and reliably produce, process, package and deliver the delicious turkey that we enjoy throughout the year.

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1. Does tryptophan make you sleepy?

It’s true that turkey contains tryptophan, an amino acid that your body uses as a building block to produce serotonin, which does help regulate sleep. However, many foods such as chicken and cheese contain tryptophan, according to Texas A&M.

That after-dinner nap is triggered by eating a big meal and your body producing insulin to digest it.

2. Are turkeys raised and processed humanely?

Many turkeys today are raised inside barns, when in the past they lived outdoors. “Turkeys today are healthier, have fewer diseases and are not left outdoors to be killed by foxes or other predators,” says Dr. Charles Hofacre of the University of Georgia.

When it comes to processing turkeys, all poultry facilities in the United States are regulated by the federal government, explains Dr. S.F. Bilgili of Auburn University. “They must be federally inspected and in compliance with all meat and poultry inspection laws. Each plant has a veterinary medical officer who is in charge of a team of trained inspectors who perform a number of important tasks,” he says. “It’s a highly regulated business. You don’t see this type of oversight in many other industries.”

Find out more about whether turkeys are able to walk, why chickens and turkeys grow quickly and other turkey talk.

3. Is corn a vegetable or a grain?

Both! If your Thanksgiving table includes a dish of corn, it is a vegetable. If you’re having cornbread stuffing, it would be considered a grain.

4. When peeling potatoes, there was a little brown spot in some of the potatoes. Should I be worried about that?

No. The spot is due to the environment in which the potato grew and is due to factors such as high heat or a potato virus. The virus isn’t harmful to people.

5. How can you tell if cranberries are ripe?

Drop them on the floor. If they bounce like a ball, they’re ripe because of a pocket of air inside.

6. What does it mean when dinner rolls are whole grain?

Whole grains foods contain all the essential parts of the entire grain seed. That means 100% of the original kernel – all of the bran, germ, and endosperm – is present.

7. Is it okay to have pumpkin pie?

It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without it! Pumpkin is loaded with nutrients like beta-carotene and fiber, says expert Dr. Julie Garden-Robinson. Spices like cinnamon may also have some benefits. The added sugar, however, is not so good for you.

That piece of pie – and potatoes and stuffing and rolls – will make you sleepy, so don’t blame it all on the tryptophan in the turkey. And remember to follow holiday food safety guidelines especially with leftovers.

Happy Thanksgiving from Best Food Facts!

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