Top five meatpacking and poultry processing states, by number of workers
| Meatpacking | Poultry processing | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| State | Number of workers | State | Number of workers |
| Nebraska | 26,607 | Georgia | 31,950 |
| Iowa | 26,543 | Arkansas | 29,014 |
| Texas | 23,623 | North Carolina | 22,441 |
| Kansas | 17,893 | Alabama | 21,697 |
| Illinois | 17,143 | Mississippi | 16,036 |
Notes: Figures represent the five-year average of workers reported by firms, by industrial sector in each state from January 2014 through December 2018. Beef and hog slaughtering firms are identified by the following North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes: 311611 – Animal Slaughtering, Except Poultry; 311612 – Meat Processed from Carcasses; 311613 – Rendering and Meat Byproduct Processing. Poultry processing firms are identified by the NAICS code 311615 – Poultry Processing.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW).