Where’s the beef? In America, it’s everywhere, in all 50 states. The cattle industry, including dairy cows, is the most important agricultural enterprise in the country. In 2019, it brought in some $66.2 billion in cash receipts, representing roughly 18% of the total for all forms of agriculture, according to a USDA Economic Research Service report on cattle and beef.
The U.S. is also the world’s largest consumer of beef. According to the latest figures available, we eat 12,592,000 metric tons of it — almost 28 billion pounds — annually, far outpacing the number-two consumer, China (8,530,000 metric tons). We pay a lot for it, too: Prices for beef and veal increased some 22.7% between February and June last year, making then among the 19 groceries driving up your bill the most during the pandemic.
We obviously need to raise a lot of animals to slaughter, then. We even import a significant number, mostly from Canada and Mexico — though, the complexities of international trade being what they are, we also export them to those countries, among others.
Not surprisingly, the country’s largest producer of beef is Texas, our second-largest state, accounting for more than 6 billion pounds a year. (The largest state, Alaska, produces a mere 4.44 million pounds, but then its climate is hardly as friendly to animal husbandry.)
Nebraska comes in at number two, with more than 5.5 billion pounds. Not surprisingly, the smallest production comes from our smallest state by area, Rhode Island, but even they turn out more than a million pounds of beef a year.
Click here to see which state has the biggest cattle industry.
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50. Rhode Island
> Beef production 2019: 1.1 million pounds ($1.7 million)
> 1-year change in beef production: -5.2% — 9th largest decline
> 1-year change in beef sales: -2.2% — 27th largest decline
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49. Alaska
> Beef production 2019: 4.4 million pounds ($3.9 million)
> 1-year change in beef production: -5.2% — 8th largest decline
> 1-year change in beef sales: -3.1% — 26th largest decline
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48. Delaware
> Beef production 2019: 4.8 million pounds ($5.6 million)
> 1-year change in beef production: -17.3% — the largest decline
> 1-year change in beef sales: -30.7% — 2nd largest decline
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47. New Jersey
> Beef production 2019: 7.3 million pounds ($11.0 million)
> 1-year change in beef production: 24.0% — the largest increase
> 1-year change in beef sales: 46.8% — the largest increase
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46. New Hampshire
> Beef production 2019: 7.4 million pounds ($9.8 million)
> 1-year change in beef production: 3.4% — 15th largest increase
> 1-year change in beef sales: -14.7% — 8th largest decline
45. Massachusetts
> Beef production 2019: 8.1 million pounds ($11.4 million)
> 1-year change in beef production: 6.4% — 8th largest increase
> 1-year change in beef sales: 12.4% — 6th largest increase
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44. Connecticut
> Beef production 2019: 12.2 million pounds ($12.4 million)
> 1-year change in beef production: 9.8% — 4th largest increase
> 1-year change in beef sales: -32.9% — the largest decline
43. Maine
> Beef production 2019: 15.2 million pounds ($18.7 million)
> 1-year change in beef production: -4.7% — 13th largest decline
> 1-year change in beef sales: -15.6% — 7th largest decline
Source: mauinow1 / iStock via Getty Images
42. Hawaii
> Beef production 2019: 35.0 million pounds ($43.2 million)
> 1-year change in beef production: 1.2% — 21st largest increase
> 1-year change in beef sales: -7.0% — 17th largest decline
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41. Vermont
> Beef production 2019: 55.9 million pounds ($70.6 million)
> 1-year change in beef production: 10.1% — 3rd largest increase
> 1-year change in beef sales: 2.6% — 13th largest increase
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40. Maryland
> Beef production 2019: 73.0 million pounds ($94.5 million)
> 1-year change in beef production: 8.7% — 5th largest increase
> 1-year change in beef sales: 31.3% — 3rd largest increase
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39. West Virginia
> Beef production 2019: 145.7 million pounds ($165.9 million)
> 1-year change in beef production: 0.5% — 25th largest increase
> 1-year change in beef sales: -9.1% — 14th largest decline
Source: Jacqueline Nix / iStock via Getty Images
38. South Carolina
> Beef production 2019: 167.1 million pounds ($124.3 million)
> 1-year change in beef production: -2.8% — 19th largest decline
> 1-year change in beef sales: 1.7% — 14th largest increase
Source: Jacqueline Nix / iStock via Getty Images
37. Louisiana
> Beef production 2019: 202.5 million pounds ($205.9 million)
> 1-year change in beef production: 1.2% — 20th largest increase
> 1-year change in beef sales: -13.5% — 10th largest decline
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36. Nevada
> Beef production 2019: 210.4 million pounds ($322.1 million)
> 1-year change in beef production: 4.3% — 12th largest increase
> 1-year change in beef sales: -1.9% — 28th largest decline
Source: Jacqueline Nix / iStock via Getty Images
35. Mississippi
> Beef production 2019: 245.6 million pounds ($175.3 million)
> 1-year change in beef production: 3.2% — 16th largest increase
> 1-year change in beef sales: -21.1% — 4th largest decline
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34. New York
> Beef production 2019: 261.5 million pounds ($289.0 million)
> 1-year change in beef production: -5.3% — 7th largest decline
> 1-year change in beef sales: -17.6% — 5th largest decline
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33. Indiana
> Beef production 2019: 283.8 million pounds ($408.8 million)
> 1-year change in beef production: 2.4% — 18th largest increase
> 1-year change in beef sales: 12.8% — 5th largest increase
32. North Carolina
> Beef production 2019: 291.2 million pounds ($222.1 million)
> 1-year change in beef production: 2.4% — 17th largest increase
> 1-year change in beef sales: -12.2% — 11th largest decline
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Source: Jacqueline Nix / iStock via Getty Images
31. Georgia
> Beef production 2019: 398.6 million pounds ($303.4 million)
> 1-year change in beef production: 5.5% — 10th largest increase
> 1-year change in beef sales: -11.2% — 13th largest decline
Source: ktmoffitt / E+ via Getty Images
30. Utah
> Beef production 2019: 404.0 million pounds ($498.9 million)
> 1-year change in beef production: 5.7% — 9th largest increase
> 1-year change in beef sales: 9.2% — 7th largest increase
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29. Florida
> Beef production 2019: 430.5 million pounds ($477.9 million)
> 1-year change in beef production: -7.1% — 5th largest decline
> 1-year change in beef sales: -7.1% — 16th largest decline
Source: krblokhin / iStock via Getty Images
28. Virginia
> Beef production 2019: 440.0 million pounds ($349.8 million)
> 1-year change in beef production: -1.1% — 23rd largest decline
> 1-year change in beef sales: -16.9% — 6th largest decline
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27. Arizona
> Beef production 2019: 484.8 million pounds ($786.2 million)
> 1-year change in beef production: -14.7% — 2nd largest decline
> 1-year change in beef sales: -7.5% — 15th largest decline
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26. Michigan
> Beef production 2019: 487.5 million pounds ($562.0 million)
> 1-year change in beef production: -1.3% — 22nd largest decline
> 1-year change in beef sales: 1.5% — 15th largest increase
Source: mcpuckette / iStock via Getty Images
25. Arkansas
> Beef production 2019: 510.6 million pounds ($455.6 million)
> 1-year change in beef production: -3.3% — 18th largest decline
> 1-year change in beef sales: -6.6% — 18th largest decline
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24. Pennsylvania
> Beef production 2019: 513.0 million pounds ($636.2 million)
> 1-year change in beef production: 8.4% — 6th largest increase
> 1-year change in beef sales: 5.0% — 10th largest increase
Source: ovidiuhrubaru / iStock via Getty Images
23. Oregon
> Beef production 2019: 547.7 million pounds ($749.6 million)
> 1-year change in beef production: -4.8% — 11th largest decline
> 1-year change in beef sales: 3.3% — 12th largest increase
Source: Big Joe / iStock via Getty Images
22. Illinois
> Beef production 2019: 556.2 million pounds ($834.5 million)
> 1-year change in beef production: 12.1% — 2nd largest increase
> 1-year change in beef sales: 32.4% — 2nd largest increase
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21. Wyoming
> Beef production 2019: 575.8 million pounds ($892.1 million)
> 1-year change in beef production: 1.6% — 19th largest increase
> 1-year change in beef sales: -5.8% — 20th largest decline
Source: Jason J. Davis / iStock via Getty Images
20. Ohio
> Beef production 2019: 585.7 million pounds ($650.7 million)
> 1-year change in beef production: 4.9% — 11th largest increase
> 1-year change in beef sales: 8.4% — 8th largest increase
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19. Tennessee
> Beef production 2019: 585.8 million pounds ($495.3 million)
> 1-year change in beef production: 0.9% — 22nd largest increase
> 1-year change in beef sales: -12.1% — 12th largest decline
18. Alabama
> Beef production 2019: 592.5 million pounds ($409.0 million)
> 1-year change in beef production: -8.2% — 4th largest decline
> 1-year change in beef sales: -22.9% — 3rd largest decline
Source: JackieNix / iStock via Getty Images
17. Kentucky
> Beef production 2019: 594.1 million pounds ($703.2 million)
> 1-year change in beef production: -3.9% — 14th largest decline
> 1-year change in beef sales: -6.2% — 19th largest decline
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16. New Mexico
> Beef production 2019: 632.9 million pounds ($997.6 million)
> 1-year change in beef production: 3.7% — 14th largest increase
> 1-year change in beef sales: 7.4% — 9th largest increase
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15. Washington
> Beef production 2019: 658.9 million pounds ($867.1 million)
> 1-year change in beef production: 6.5% — 7th largest increase
> 1-year change in beef sales: 14.0% — 4th largest increase
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14. North Dakota
> Beef production 2019: 795.0 million pounds ($993.1 million)
> 1-year change in beef production: 3.7% — 13th largest increase
> 1-year change in beef sales: -5.2% — 21st largest decline
13. Montana
> Beef production 2019: 1.1 billion pounds ($1.4 billion)
> 1-year change in beef production: 0.8% — 23rd largest increase
> 1-year change in beef sales: -0.2% — 32nd largest decline
Source: Solange_Z / iStock via Getty Images
12. Idaho
> Beef production 2019: 1.3 billion pounds ($1.7 billion)
> 1-year change in beef production: -1.6% — 20th largest decline
> 1-year change in beef sales: 0.5% — 18th largest increase
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Source: SteveOehlenschlager / iStock via Getty Images
11. Minnesota
> Beef production 2019: 1.4 billion pounds ($2.0 billion)
> 1-year change in beef production: -3.6% — 15th largest decline
> 1-year change in beef sales: -3.1% — 25th largest decline
Source: TriggerPhoto / iStock via Getty Images
10. Missouri
> Beef production 2019: 1.4 billion pounds ($1.9 billion)
> 1-year change in beef production: -5.7% — 6th largest decline
> 1-year change in beef sales: -13.9% — 9th largest decline
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9. Wisconsin
> Beef production 2019: 1.5 billion pounds ($1.7 billion)
> 1-year change in beef production: -0.3% — 24th largest decline
> 1-year change in beef sales: -5.0% — 22nd largest decline
8. South Dakota
> Beef production 2019: 1.7 billion pounds ($2.7 billion)
> 1-year change in beef production: -4.9% — 10th largest decline
> 1-year change in beef sales: 0.8% — 17th largest increase
7. Colorado
> Beef production 2019: 1.9 billion pounds ($3.6 billion)
> 1-year change in beef production: 0.8% — 24th largest increase
> 1-year change in beef sales: 4.8% — 11th largest increase
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Source: usdagov / Flickr
6. Iowa
> Beef production 2019: 2.1 billion pounds ($3.9 billion)
> 1-year change in beef production: -4.8% — 12th largest decline
> 1-year change in beef sales: -3.2% — 24th largest decline
Source: usdagov / Flickr
5. Oklahoma
> Beef production 2019: 2.1 billion pounds ($3.3 billion)
> 1-year change in beef production: -8.2% — 3rd largest decline
> 1-year change in beef sales: -1.1% — 29th largest decline
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4. California
> Beef production 2019: 2.3 billion pounds ($3.1 billion)
> 1-year change in beef production: -3.6% — 16th largest decline
> 1-year change in beef sales: -3.9% — 23rd largest decline
3. Kansas
> Beef production 2019: 4.4 billion pounds ($8.4 billion)
> 1-year change in beef production: 0.1% — 26th largest increase
> 1-year change in beef sales: 1.3% — 16th largest increase
Source: Mark Schepker / iStock via Getty Images
2. Nebraska
> Beef production 2019: 5.6 billion pounds ($10.6 billion)
> 1-year change in beef production: -1.4% — 21st largest decline
> 1-year change in beef sales: -0.9% — 30th largest decline
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1. Texas
> Beef production 2019: 6.2 billion pounds ($8.4 billion)
> 1-year change in beef production: -3.5% — 17th largest decline
> 1-year change in beef sales: -0.6% — 31st largest decline
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