Poultry Industry Employment Rises by 307,000 Jobs
The 2.31 million workers in the sector reflect ongoing expansion that may tighten regional competition for agricultural labor.
Updated on Oct. 28, 2026 in Employment
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The U.S. poultry industry generated $799.5 billion in total economic activity in 2026. This sector now supports 2.31 million jobs, marking an increase of 307,000 positions since 2024.
Why it matters
The poultry industry serves as a major driver of national employment and government tax revenue, highlighting the scale of supply chain and processing labor needs. Monitoring these figures provides operators with a benchmark for the broader agricultural and food processing labor market.
The poultry industry generated $799.5 billion in economic activity and $177.1 billion in wages during 2026. The total workforce of 2.31 million includes 1.55 million chicken, 504,000 turkey, and 182,000 egg industry positions, alongside $74.5 billion in government revenue.
The players
John Dunham & Associates
A research firm specializing in economic impact modeling and industry analysis.
The details
The sector's economic footprint relies on a complex integration of chicken, turkey, and egg production. Employment gains are calculated based on updated industry methodology, capturing the cumulative effect of production, processing, and distribution operations. These figures reflect the total contribution to the U.S. economy, illustrating the dependency of tax revenues on large-scale agricultural output.
Timeline
2024 served as the baseline year for the economic study comparison.
2026 provided the data period for the economic impact study.
Market Landscape
This study complements the Bureau of Economic Analysis annual GDP reporting by isolating the economic output of the national poultry supply chain. It illustrates a trend of growing labor reliance within domestic agricultural sectors that operate outside of standard manufacturing cycles.
Operators should track these employment and wage figures as a leading indicator of regional labor costs and availability within the food processing sector. Increased competition for the 2.31 million available roles may shift recruitment and retention strategies for those competing for agricultural labor.
The takeaway
The poultry industry remains a critical engine for job creation and government funding, significantly expanding its footprint over the last two years. Business leaders should monitor these industry-wide labor growth figures to anticipate potential shifts in supply chain costs and regional wage benchmarks.
Further reading
For broader trends in workforce composition, visit United States Employment.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Home - National Provisioner.
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