Issued by USDA-NASS
Commercial red meat production in West Virginia during January 2026 totaled 600,000 pounds. This was down 34 percent from January 2025. Commercial cattle slaughter totaled 757,000 pounds live weight, down 43 percent from January 2025. Cattle slaughter totaled 600 head, down 500 head from the previous year. The average live weight was up 16 pounds from the previous year, at 1,231 pounds. Commercial hog slaughter totaled 142,000 pounds live weight, up 14 percent from January 2025. Hog slaughter totaled 500 head, up 100 head from the previous year. The average live weight was up 21 pounds from the previous year, at 309 pounds.
FARM NUMBERS AND LAND IN FARMS
The number of farms in West Virginia totaled 22,500 in 2025, down 100 farms from 2024. The total land in farms was 3.50 million acres, unchanged from 2024. The average farm size was 156 acres, up 1 acre from 2024.
The number of farms in the United States for 2025 is estimated at 1,865,000, down 15,000 farms from 2024. Total land in farms, at 873,950,000 acres, decreased 2,510,000 acres from 2025. The average farm size for 2025 is 469 acres, up 3 acres from the previous year.
CHICKENS AND EGGS SUMMARY
The number of layers in West Virginia during 2025 averaged 1.12 million, down 4 percent from the 2024 average of 1.17 million. The average annual production per layer was 244 eggs, up 8 eggs per layer from 2024. Pullets for 2025 totaled 772,000, down 3 percent from the 2024 total of 800,000. Other chickens totaled 114,000 in 2025, down 3 percent from the 2024 total of 118,000.
Egg production during the year ending November 30, 2025 totaled 273.4 million eggs. This was 1 percent down from the 2024 production of 275.4 million eggs.
The total number of chickens on hand on December 1, 2025 (excluding commercial broilers) was 2.01 million head, down 1 percent from the 2024 total of 2.04 million.
The total value of all chickens on December 1, 2025 was $26.2 million, up 7 percent from the December 1, 2024 value of $24.5 million. The average value of $13.00 per head on December 1, 2025, was up $1.00 per head from the 2024 value of $12.00 per head.
VALUE OF PRODUCTION OF 2025 CROPS
Corn for grain value of production in West Virginia totaled $20.66 million in 2025, an increase of 68 percent from $12.28 million in 2024. The marketing year average price received per bushel for corn was $4.50, down 15 cents per bushel from the 2024 average price of $4.65 per bushel.
The value of all hay production totaled $164.90 million in 2025, a 23 percent increase from the 2024 value of $134.42 million. The average price received per ton was $157.00. This was up $11.00 per ton from the 2024 average price of $146.00 per ton.
The value of alfalfa hay production totaled $6.80 million in 2025, a 73 percent increase from the 2024 value of $3.92 million. The average price received per ton was $206.00. This was up $10.00 per ton from the 2024 average price of $196.00 per ton.
The value of all other hay production totaled $158.10 million in 2025, a 21 percent increase from the 2024 value of $130.50 million. The average price received per ton was $155.00. This was up $10.00 per ton from the 2024 average price of $145.00 per ton.
