POULTRY FACT SHEET NO. 16c 

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION 

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 

September 1997 

CALIFORNIA TURKEY PRODUCTION 

John C. Voris Extension Turkey Specialist University of California, Avian Sciences    
Department Kearney Agricultural Center, 9240 S. Riverbend Ave., Parlier, CA    93648 

Turkey Production and Consumption

Turkey production in the United States for 1995 was 296 million. The number one production state was North Carolina with production of 63 million and Minnesota was second with production of 41.0 million. In November of 1991, one of the four large California integrators, announced they would discontinue their California operation by May 22, 1992. They did close out their feed mill, processing plant a and left 28 turkey production facilities empty. With this change in the numbers
of turkeys produced, California's national rank slipped to fourth and the number produced dropped from 29 million to 24 million for 1992 and bottomed out at 21 million in 1994. California's production was up slightly in 1995 to 21.5 million and we expect it to rise in 1996 to about 23 million. We are just beginning to come out of the slump caused by the withdrawal of one large integrator.

Table 1. Leading Turkey Production States (millions)

The 1990 national per capita consumption of turkey was 19.3 pounds. Our national consumption figures were revised downward to make poultry consumption figures more nearly match beef figures by taking the bone out of poultry. Therefore
the 1990 figure is now 17.6 pounds per capita. In 1996 the per capita consumption was 18.5 pounds.

The per capita consumption in California is greater than the national average and is estimated to be about 2-3 pounds more than the national per capita consumption. We do not have a true figure for California with the complication of accounting for the turkey shipped in and out of the state. The major reason given for this difference in consumption for California over the national consumption is the greater use of the barbecue in California. Turkey consumption has been increasing steadily in recent years.

Table 2. Per Capita Consumption of Turkey, Beef and Chicken 

Structure of the California Turkey Industry 

The turkey industry in California is almost completely integrated. Nearly all turkeys are grown under contract with one of four large integrated companies or their subsidiaries. These large integrated companies have all or part of the following enterprises related to turkey production: Breeders, hatchery, feed mill, processing plant, further processing plant (if separate), company owned growing facilities, contract growing facilities and turkey live haul.

When the original announcement was made by a large turkey company to discontinue California production, the company promised to help as many of their producers as possible to find a new contract. They hoped the whole integrated company
could be sold or transferred so that the schedule of their growers would not be interrupted. They promised to intercede for their growers and find contracts either with another turkey integrator or with major broiler integrators.

In November 1992, a year after the announcement of closure, the 24 displaced growing facilities are aligned as follows: Ten are now converted and/or converting to chickens. Six of those facilities were able to find contracts with other turkey integrators. Four of the facilities are empty, and three are contracted to a new processor. One growout facility is being converted to a breeder facility.

Geographically, the California turkey industry is divided with the bulk of the breeders both primary and multiplier located in the cooler coastal areas and the majority of the meat production located in the San Joaquin Valley. The principal counties for meat production are Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Kings and Tulare. Until recently meat production was moving further South with the largest concentration located South of Fresno. A new turkey processing plant and two new feed mills have been constructed in this area. The reason for the move is largely pressure from urbanization. Within the last year, the new processing plant and one of the feed mills were closed.

California has traditionally been a center for primary breeding. The largest primary breeder, Nicholas Turkey Breeding Farms, Inc. has its headquarters in Sonoma, California. A smaller primary breeder, the Orlopp Turkey Farms, Inc is located near Orosi, California. Nicholas once accounted for about 80% of the breeding stock used in the United States. They are now responsible for about 50%. The other 50% is divided between Hybrid Turkeys Inc., Ontario, Canada and British United Turkeys of America, Lewisburg, West Virginia and Orlopp Turkey Farms, Orosi, California.