KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Did you know there are more turkeys in Missouri than people?
Data shows that turkeys outnumber people in at least 17 counties. Three of those counties have more than 100 turkeys for every man, woman and child living there.
Statewide, there are nearly 2.5 turkeys for every person. Missouri has 15.5 million turkeys versus 6.25 million people, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Only four other states produce more turkeys than Missouri:
- Minnesota (32 million)
- North Carolina (27 million)
- Arkansas (25 million)
- Indiana (20 million)
Although there isn’t an exact current count of turkey farms in Missouri, the state was ranked fourth in the nation for turkey production in 2022, according to The Poultry Federation. That same year, the organization said poultry was one of Missouri’s top commodities – totaling $1.5 billion.