A trip around the Thanksgiving menu is like a trip around the United States, as American farmers produce much of what we savor on this national holiday, according to USAFacts.org.
Below are some facts and figures about some of the popular foods to be shared today, with figures from 2019.
229 million
Number of turkeys raised by American farms, including 6.2 million in Pennsylvania. Minnesota was tops, with 40 million birds. Nationally, average weight was 25 pounds.
42.4 billion
Pounds of potatoes produced in the U.S., with Idaho farmers (shocker) growing the most (31%).
3.2 billion
Pounds of sweet potatoes grown on U.S. farms – mainly in North Carolina, which accounts for 60% of the crop.
1.7 billion
Pounds of green beans harvested in the U.S., with a quarter kept fresh and the rest frozen or canned. Wisconsin led with 622 million pounds.
1.3 billion
Pounds of pumpkins grown in U.S., with Illinois again claiming the crown as top pumpkin-producer – with the majority of its crop becoming pie filling.
7.9 million
100-pound barrels of cranberries produced in the U.S. Mostly from Massachusetts? Nope. Wisconsin, No. 1 with 4.7 million barrels.
Sources: U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service
