3 Percent Turkeys raised in the United States during 1996 totaled 301 million, up 3 percent from the 293 million turkeys raised during 1995. These States accounted for 71 percent of the turkeys produced in the United States during 1996. Turkey Growers Plan 2 Percent Increase in 1997 Turkey growers in the 20 major producing States intend to raise 2 percent more turkeys than in 1996 and 5 percent more than 1995. The number of turkeys actually raised in 1997 may vary from growers' intentions shown in this report depending on feed costs, supply of hatching eggs, cost of poults, and prices growers receive for turkeys during the next few months. Survey data for the turkeys raised estimate are collected from a list of contractors and independent growers during December.
States use all known sources of producer names to ensure that the list is as complete as possible.
Turkey producers are then contacted either by mail, telephone, or in person. Diligent effort is made to ensure that all operations are accounted for in the estimate. Turkeys raised estimates include young turkeys intended for meat production, as well as breeder turkeys which reached maturity during the calendar year. These estimates exclude turkeys lost to disease or those destroyed. Placements of turkey poults from the Monthly Turkey Hatchery Survey provide the basis for the preliminary estimates published in August.