Where Those Mounds of Food Come From

270 million
The preliminary estimate of the number of turkeys raised in the United States during 2001. That's no change from 2000. In 2000, the turkeys produced weighed 7 billion pounds altogether and were valued at $2.8 billion.

44 million
The number of turkeys Minnesota expects to raise in 2001. Another state—North Carolina—has a nearly identical total (43 million birds), making the Gopher and Tar Heel states the top two in turkey production. They are followed by Arkansas (26 million), Missouri and Virginia (24 million each), and California (19 million). These six states are expected to account for about two-thirds of the turkeys produced in the United States during 2001.

558 million pounds
The forecast weight of the cranberry production in the United States in 2001, down 1 percent from 2000 and 12 percent from 1999. Wisconsin leads all states in the production of cranberries, with 295 million pounds, followed by Massachusetts (164 million), New Jersey (45 million), and Oregon (36 million).

1.4 billion pounds
The weight of sweet potatoes—another popular Thanksgiving staple—produced in the United States in 2000. North Carolina (555 million pounds) produced more than any other state. It was followed by Louisiana (312 million), California (243 million), and Mississippi (148 million).

2.2 billion bushels
The total volume of wheat—the essential ingredient of bread and rolls—that was produced in the United States in 2000. Kansas (348 million bushels) and North Dakota (314 million) combined accounted for nearly one-third of the nation's wheat production.

$14.1 million
The value of U.S. imports of live turkeys in 2000—all from Canada. Our northern neighbors also accounted for virtually all ($16.8 million) of the $16.9 million worth of cranberries the United States imported. When it came to sweet potatoes, however, the Dominican Republic was the source of most ($4.2 million) of the total imports ($4.3 million). In 2000, the U.S. ran a $5.3 million trade deficit in live turkeys and a $7.2 million deficit in cranberries, but enjoyed a $6.5 million surplus in the sweet potato trade.

Thanksgiving—A Growth Industry

14 pounds
Amount of turkey consumed by the typical American in 1999—no doubt much of this at Thanksgiving time. Per capita turkey consumption was virtually the same as in 1990, but 74 percent higher than in 1980 (8 pounds). In addition, per capita sweet potato consumption was 4 pounds.

The Price Is Right

99 cents
Cost per pound in December 2000 of a frozen whole turkey. By comparison, T-bone steak ran $6.82 per pound during the same period.

Turkey, U.S.A.

3
Number of places nationwide named after the tasty gobbler. Census 2000 shows that Turkey, Texas, was the most populous, with 494 residents, followed by Turkey Creek, La. (356) and Turkey, N.C. (262). There also are 11 townships around the country named "Turkey," three of them in Kansas.

8
Number of places and townships in the U.S. that are named "cranberry" or some variation thereof (i.e., Cranbury, N.J.).

20
Number of places in the United States named Plymouth, as in "Plymouth Rock." Plymouth, Minn., is the most populous, with 65,894 residents in 2000, while Plymouth, Mass., had 7,658. Speaking of Plymouth Rock, there is a single township (but no places) in the United States named "Pilgrim." Located in Dade County, Mo., its population was 135.