Industry at a Glance

In 2021, the Meat and Poultry industry produced¹:

• 27.95 billion pounds of beef – a record volume.
• 27.67 billion pounds of pork.
• 53.2 million pounds of veal.
• 138.4 million pounds of lamb and mutton.
• 50.4 billion pounds of poultry.

Total red meat and poultry production in 2024 increased nearly 1 percent to 107.6 billion pounds.

The United States exports about $30 billion in livestock and animal products².

Approximately 25 percent of U.S. pork, 15 percent of U.S. poultry, and 13 percent of U.S. beef are exported.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, meat and poultry processing is a $274.8 billion industry.

98% of U.S. households buy meat and poultry.

Meat and poultry packers and processors employ more than 532,000 people.⁴

Employees earn a median hourly wage of $17.45 an hour.

In 2024, retail sales increased to a record $104.6 billion, making meat the largest of the perimeter departments.

Occupational Safety and Hazards Administration (OSHA) Injury and illness rates for workers have steadily declined.