According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. population is projected to be 305.5 Million on New Year’s Day.

That’s up 2.743 million people from New Year’s Day 2008 or 0.9 percent.

In January 2009, the Census Bureau estimates that  one birth is expected to occur every eight seconds in the United States and one death every 12 seconds.

Meanwhile, according to the Census Bureau, net international migration is expected to add one person every 36 seconds to the U.S. population in January 2009, resulting in an increase in the total U.S. population of one person every 14 seconds.

Now, that doesn’t count illegal immigrants. Any way you look at it, that means more people to feed despite the economic downturn.