BLS takes a turn for the wurst during the dog days of summer

Hear ye! Hear ye! Sun's out. Buns out. Hot dog buns, that is. National Hot Dog Day is typically observed on the third Wiener Wednesday of July, which is, incidentally, National Hot Dog Month. Frankly, BLS does not have much data specifically related to hot dogs, although BLS does have data for the industry that produces hot dogs along with other meat products as well as the industry that makes hot dog buns and similar baked goods.

Officially, meat processed from carcasses is the industry that produces hot dogs. Despite a name that many Americans might find doggone unappealing, this industry makes many foods that people eat with relish, such as bologna and luncheon meat, meat spreads for sandwiches, and other cured, dried, salted, and smoked meat products, including bacon, ham, and sausages.

Twenty years ago, Wisconsin was top dog in meat processed from carcasses, with employment of 10,958, followed by Texas, with 8,224. In 2020, Illinois led the pack, with 12,479 workers, followed by Iowa (9,382), Wisconsin (9,065), Texas (8,730), and Ohio (7,491). Competition is dog-eat-dog in meat processing.

Data for bakers of hot dog buns is included with that of manufacturers of other baked goods such as bagels, doughnuts, bread, and rolls in the commercial bakeries industry. In 2020, California had employment of 13,698 in commercial bakeries; Illinois had 9,778; Texas, 8,021; New York, 7,488; while Pennsylvania had 6,443.

Over the past two decades, nationwide employment in meat processed from carcasses increased from 109,221 (in 2001) to 136,392 (in 2020). Employment in commercial bakeries in 2001 and 2020 was roughly the same, 223,594 (in 2001) and 217,895 (in 2020), though employment in this industry had risen to over 235,000 in the 3 years before 2020.

Get more data for meat processing and commercial bakeries and many other industries via the Data Viewer from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, which is the source of these data. (If you're not interested in hot dog data, just say "no franks.") Also of interest: "Interview with a Butcher" in Career Outlook.