February 28, 2024

US poultry certified wholesome up 2% by weight last January

4.547 billion pounds of poultry were certified wholesome in the United States in January 2024.

The figure was 2% more than in January last year, with a 2% increase for chicken to 4.099 billion pounds — thus canceling out a 2% decrease in turkey to 435.162 million — according to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Chicken slaughter and total live weight were up on the year, while the turkey slaughter was down and the total live weight was lower.

The USDA's next set of annual meat production projections will be out on March 8.

- Brownfield