Industry at a Glance
![assorted-row-meats](/sites/default/files/original images/cropped-assorted-row-meat-shutterstock_1682026060.jpg)
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.
Occupational Safety and Hazards Administration (OSHA) Injury and illness rates for workers have steadily declined.
The United States exports about $30 billion in livestock and animal products3.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, meat and poultry processing is a $227.9 billion industry.2
![assorted-row-meats](/sites/default/files/original images/workers-on-meat-production-line-shutterstock_1940370781.jpg)
Meat and poultry packers and processors employ more than 532,000 people.4
Average starting salary was $16.00 per hour on average, which has grown to more than $22.00 per hour today.4
Sources:
- Livestock Slaughter 2021 Summary 04/20/2022 (cornell.edu)
Poultry Slaughter 2021 Summary 02/25/2022 (usda.gov) - US Census Bureau Annual Survey of Manufacturers
AM1831BASIC02: Annual Survey of... - Census Bureau Table - USDA FAS Global Agricultural Trade System (GATS)
- U.S. Census Bureau Statistic of U.S. Businesses (SUSB) 2019 SUSB Annual Data Tables by Establishment Industry (census.gov) (Jobs # and wages):