Census Bureau Facts for Thanksgiving
BOC
UNITED STATES DEPT. OF COMMERCE
_________________________________________________________________
November 20, 1997 CB97-FS.12
MEMORANDUM FOR Reporters, Editors, News Directors
From: LaVerne Vines Collins
Chief, Public Information Office
Subject: Facts for Thanksgiving
_Census Facts For Thanksgiving_
_Thanksgiving Feast---An American Tradition_
Traditionally, Thanksgiving has been a time for families and friends
across the Nation to gather together, give thanks for all that we share,
and usher in the holiday season. Though the way we celebrate Thanksgiving
differs from family to family and region to region, one part of the
tradition remains constant the bountiful feasts that are prepared in homes
throughout the country. Without the hard work and ingenuity of America's
farmers, our traditional feasts would not be possible. Data from the 1992
Census of Agriculture show that farmers from counties across the Nation
make valuable contributions to our Thanksgiving celebrations.
Turkey, a popular dish of the traditional Thanksgiving feast, is produced
throughout our Nation. More than 279 million turkeys were sold by farmers
in 1992.
In 1992, North Carolina and Minnesota sold nearly 99 million turkeys,
which was 35 percent of the turkeys sold in the United States. Duplin
County, NC, was the top county in turkeys sold, with 12 million.
Rockingham County, VA, and Union County, NC, were second and third,
respectively. Kandiyohi County, MN, with 7.8 million sold, was fourth.
Other popular items on the Thanksgiving menu are bread and rolls. The
wheat used to produce them may have come from North Dakota, Kansas, or
Montana. In 1992, these three States harvested 881.9 million bushels of
wheat, which was 40 percent of the 2.2 billion bushels harvested in the
United States.
Vegetables are an important part of our Thanksgiving feast. Snap (green)
beans may have been grown by farmers in Wisconsin, New York, or Florida.
In 1992, these three States accounted for 45 percent of all acres of snap
beans harvested in the United States. Leading counties were Dade County,
FL, Portage County, WI, and Marion County, OR.
The sweet corn on your table, if not from your own garden, may have come
from one of the top three sweet corn producing States: Wisconsin,
Minnesota, or Washington. The 1992 Census of Agriculture shows these three
States accounted for 345,275 acres of the Nation's 762,132 acres of sweet
corn harvested. The top three counties in the production of sweet corn
were Palm Beach County, FL, with 33,776 acres, Grant County, WA, with
27,586 acres, and Fond du Lac County, WI, with 21,846 acres.
Sweetpotatoes are a popular Thanksgiving dish. They may have been
harvested in Johnston or Nash Counties in North Carolina, or in Merced
County, CA. In 1992, these three counties accounted for 29 percent of all
sweetpotatoes grown in the United States.
If cranberry sauce is on the menu, the cranberries in it may have been
produced by farmers in Massachusetts or Wisconsin. These two States
produced 3.1 million hundredweight, which was 79 percent of all the
Nation's 1992 cranberry crop. Notable counties in these States were
Plymouth, MA, and Wood and Jackson Counties, WI.
Farmers produced the essential elements that allow us to have a sweet
Thanksgiving feast. Pumpkin pie is sure to be a favorite. Pumpkins were
grown in every State, however, Illinois had the most acreage in 1992 with
8,297 acres. The heart of pumpkin production in Illinois was Tazewell
County, which accounted for 2,730 acres. California ranked second with
5,552 acres. San Joaquin County, CA, accounted for 1,804 acres.
If you prefer cherry pie, you might be surprised to learn that in 1992, 70
percent of the Nation's 311 million pounds of tart cherries came from
Michigan. Two Michigan counties, Leelanau and Oceana, produced 47 percent
of the State's crop in 1992 and one-third of the Nation's total.
You might enjoy some domestic wine along with your Thanksgiving meal. The
grapes used to produce domestic wine probably came from farmers in
California, who led the Nation in grape production. In 1992, California
harvested 9.8 billion pounds of grapes, 89 percent of the Nation's total
harvest of 11 billion pounds. Notable counties in California included
Fresno, Kern, and Madera.
Note: To commemorate Thanksgiving Day, we are re-releasing the
_Thanksgiving Feast---An American Tradition_ Agriculture Brief. It
contains information about which states and counties are the top producers
of foods likely to be served at a Thanksgiving feast. The data come from
the 1992 Census of Agriculture, the most recent one conducted. The next
Census of Agriculture, which will begin next month, will be the first
conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural
Statistics Service (www.usda.gov/nass), rather than by the U.S. Census
Bureau. Each month, we plan to provide previously released facts
pertaining to selected events or holidays occurring that month. Questions
or comments should be directed to the Census Bureau's Public Information
Office (Tel: 301-457-3030; Fax: 301-457-3670; E-mail: p...@census.gov).