10 Minnesota Turkey Facts You Need to Know Now

Now that the 2024 election is over and Thanksgiving is drawing closer, here are 10 facts about Minnesota's Thanksgiving star of the show: the turkey.

Did you know that no other state has as many turkeys as we do in Minnesota? I'm always a little surprised when I'm reminded that the North Star State is currently ranked first in the country when it comes to turkey production. That's right, no other state raises more turkeys than we do here in the Land of 10,000 ~~Turkeys~~ Lakes.

That might be because turkeys aren't exactly top of mind for most of Minnesota's population. I mean, there aren't a lot of turkey farms directly in our backyards in the Bold North's biggest cities, like Minneapolis, St. Paul, Rochester or Duluth.

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In fact, Minnesota's 7 county metro area, as well as Olmsted County, where Rochester is located, is not on the top of the list of turkey-raising counties in Minnesota. The counties with the biggest turkey production include Kandiyohi, Stearns, Morrison, Lyon, Ottertail, Rice, Meeker, Becker, Redwood, and Brown Counties.

But it's no surprise to the gang over at the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association. They know that Minnesota's number-one ranking is due to the tireless work of the 450 family farmers in Minnesota who raise approximately 46 million turkeys each and every year.

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Hoo boy, that's a lot of gobbling! So, keep scrolling to see 10 more amazing Minnesota turkey facts (you probably didn't know.) And while turkey is likely the most popular dish in Minnesota for Thanksgiving, it's not the only uniquely Minnesota food we enjoy. Keep scrolling to see how many of the following Only-In-Minnesota foods you've tried!