Talkin’ Turkey

Gobble

Our National Turkey Federation informs us that, from sea to shining sea, Americans eat about 45 million turkeys each Thanksgiving holiday.

Turkeys are big business. By the numbers:

• 216.5 million turkeys raised on turkey farms across the nation in 2021.

• Companies that have a part in producing and processing turkey involve about 424,000 jobs.

• That work accounts for $28 billion in wages.

• The industry generates some $138.7 billion annually in economic impact, along with $11.3 billion in taxes.

To put this in perspective, let’s talk Texas turkey:

• 4,512 people employed in the turkey industry.

• 13,850 supplier and related industry jobs.

• $61,300 average wage and benefits of from the turkey industry.

And this: as the National Turkey Federation puts it,

“Not only does the turkey industry create good jobs in Texas but the industry also contributes to the economy as a whole. The broader economic impact flows throughout the economy, generating business for firms seemingly unrelated to the turkey industry. Real people, with real jobs, working in industries as varied as banking, real estate, accounting, even printing all depend on the turkey industry for their livelihood.”

That’s a glowing endorsement. And while we can’t speak to the idea of the everywhere, everything turkey, we do know that most everything on your Thanksgiving table was delivered by the trucking industry.

The bread for the stuffing. The potatoes that get mashed and then cratered for that thick, rich gravy. The Jello mold that little Eddie loves and Uncle Fester can’t stand. Cranberries! The green bean casserole that everyone suspects is there because it’s something green. The beets. The pumpkin pie. The key lime pie. The vegan pie that Aunt Esther brings for herself.

All delivered, along most every stop on the farm-to-table route, by truck.

And when we say “truck,” what we really mean is truck driver.

From Team NATCO: A happy, safe, healthy Thanksgiving to you and yours.