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Ninety percent go outside the state.

July 2, 2008

1 Min Read

Nebraska's turkey industry makes up an important segment of agriculture in the state, converting Nebraska grain into a higher value product that is marketed across the country and around the world.

"Nebraska's turkey producers contribute about $110 million annually to Nebraska's economy," says David Nielsen, a corn grower near Lincoln and a farmer-director of the Nebraska Corn Board. "They achieve this not only through the products they sell, but through their investment in commodities, equipment, facilities, labor and all the items required to be an efficient turkey producer."

Nebraska's independent turkey growers also own the Nebraska Turkey Growers Cooperative in Gibbon, which operates the only turkey processing facility in the state. In the last year the cooperative processed more than 65 million pounds of turkey from about 4 million turkeys produced by the growers.

About 10% of that turkey is sold in Nebraska, while 80% is sold across the country and the final 10% going overseas. "That's a lot of good Nebraska turkey going across the country and even around the world," Nielsen says. "It's exciting to see Nebraska's agriculture system delivering high-quality products like this to a wide variety of consumers."

Much of the turkey produced by the growers and their cooperative is sold under the Nor best label.

"Every time you buy a Nor best turkey you're supporting Nebraska turkey producers and Nebraska agriculture," Nielsen says.

Nebraska, with its reliable feed sources like corn and soybeans, is a good place to produce all forms of poultry and livestock production. "There is a partnership that is very interdependent between the crop, livestock and poultry producers in Nebraska," he says.

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