Indiana is Home to Three Turkeys for Every Resident
INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana is home to more turkeys than residents, with a staggering ratio of three turkeys for every Hoosier among its population of over 6.8 million.
As the fourth-largest turkey producer in the United States, Indiana's poultry and agriculture sectors are optimistic about future growth potential. In 2024, the state produced just over 20 million turkeys. Interestingly, there are 14 counties where the turkey population exceeds that of the human population, with some areas seeing a remarkable 10-to-1 turkey-to-person ratio.
Rebecca Joniskan, president of the Purdue University-based Indiana State Poultry Association, stated, “We are No. 4 when you count heads, but we’re actually No. 3 when you count poundage.”
While state leaders anticipate ongoing growth in the turkey industry, they recognize that this expansion will face limitations due to fluctuating costs associated with maintaining large flocks.
Don Lamb, director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, remarked, “The costs that are out of the control of a producer is really one of the limiting factors.”
During Thanksgiving season, many people enjoy turkey as a centerpiece on their dining tables; however, most turkeys produced in Indiana are not sold as whole birds.
Joniskan explained, “We don’t market very many whole birds, so most of our turkey goes into ground turkey, most significantly, premium deli turkey meat.”
To boost consumption beyond Thanksgiving, state leaders emphasize that turkey can be enjoyed year-round. Lamb noted that “Everything’s got a marketing problem, so we can always sell more turkey year-round.”
Nevertheless, farming turkeys presents significant risks primarily due to disease threats like bird flu. Joniskan mentioned that “It is the largest uncertainty. If disease does get introduced, we’re ready for it.”
This year marked only one bird flu outbreak in Indiana; however, data from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources indicates that ten commercial flocks and six backyard flocks experienced outbreaks in 2022 and 2023.