Five of the top poultry production states in the U.S. are in the Midwest, led by Minnesota. Poultry is a big business, contributing nearly $600 billion annually to the U.S. economy, representing three percent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product.
In Illinois, there is a concentration of independent growers in the central part of the state, along with a couple of USDA-inspected processing plants. Most Illinois turkey producers are contract growers for large, integrated farms in Iowa and Indiana.
Illinois is home to a number of turkey farms; Yordy Turkey Farm produces turkeys through a 100 percent natural lifecycle. Turkeys are raised in an open, climate-controlled atmosphere and fed all-natural corn and grain. The turkeys at Yordy receive zero hormones, antibiotics or artificial growth enhancers. Every turkey is USDA state inspected and certified. An assortment of turkey products can be purchased directly from Yordy Turkey Farm.
“Some of the highest quality turkey products in the nation are produced at Yordy Turkey Farm in Morton,” stated State Representative Bill Hauter. “The owners and employees at Yordy do it right, and you can taste the difference at the dinner table.”
Kauffman Turkey Farms is one of the last remaining independent, family-owned, and operated turkey farms in the country with its own dressing plant. Kauffman has been providing fresh-dressed turkeys for over 80 years. Birds are raised with an emphasis on quality, meaning the turkeys grow more slowly and develop a richer flavor and denser texture.
“Small businesses are the lifeblood of the economy in Illinois,” said State Representative Bradley Fritts “And our Turkey producer families embody the values of hard work and tradition. They care about the process and raise their animals the right way.”
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