Organic chicken slaughter has trended up since the beginning of the year, after declining over the course of 2023.  According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), annual organic chicken sales in 2019 were $1.115 billion, up by 48% from the $750 million recorded in 2016.

Organic turkey sales increased by 67% during the same period, from $83 million to $139 million. In the most recent agricultural census, NASS combined poultry and eggs into one category, which in aggregate, generated $2 billion in 2022.

High grocery prices are thought to have weighed down growth in this segment. Improving macroeconomic factors should clear the way for sustained growth.  One prominent East Coast poultry company commissioned a new $360 million organic chicken harvesting facility in 2022.

Local food markets have also expanded, along with the infrastructure needed to produce fresh…