Thanksgiving’s 46 Million Turkeys Getting Expensive

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http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-11-14/thanksgiving-s-46-million-turkeys-getting-expensive.html



Recent history suggests Americans will eat some 46 million turkeys during Thanksgiving, give or take a few birds.

The problem is that supplies are dropping. While that doesn’t mean stores will run out of turkeys before you buy one, costs are climbing. U.S. grocers are currently paying the highest prices ever at the wholesale level.

Farmers produced 4.239 billion pounds (1.47 million metric tons) in the nine months through September, down 3.3 percent from a year earlier, government data show. Wholesale prices tracked by researcher Urner Barry have jumped 16 percent from a year earlier to a record $1.24 a pound in the week ended Nov. 10, signaling higher costs for supermarkets that usually sell turkey at a discount to spur more holiday business.

More than 20 percent of annual turkey consumption occurs on Thanksgiving, which will be celebrated this year on Nov. 27, the National Turkey Federation estimates. The industry is still recovering from the record-high cost of feed grain during a 2012 drought, which forced reductions in cattle, hog and poultry output and sent meat prices surging. Feed accounts for about two-thirds of the cost of raising turkeys.

[pipoman]

1. Commercial turkeys go from the egg to the store in around 90 days

Turkey farmers, like other farmers, reduce production collectively to drive prices. This would be a larger problem with all farm commodities without a farm bill and subsidies.

[B2G]

2. Just got mine for 47 cents a pound. nt

[Nay]

4. Dang! I just paid 79 cents and thought that was a deal!

[B2G]

5. You get them for that when you spend $40 on other groceries

They run the special for a week every time this year. It's a great promo!

[Nay]

15. Ah. I believe our local Food Lion does a similar promotion, but you have to

save up grocery receipts and I never do that...

[Renew Deal]

3. Supermarkets around here used to give them away with a $100 purchase

I think I saw that as recently as last year. Don't know if they still do that.

[GGJohn]

6. I wouldn't know,

We hunt for our Turkeys, we've already bagged 2, one for us and one for the church in our little town that feeds the less fortunate on Thanksgiving.

[UncleYoder]

7. I paid $1.17 a pound.

But then he and his 19 brothers got sung to everyday as I was feeding them.
And he weighed 42 lbs. live, 34 lbs. dressed, ready to be the guest of honor next week.
Can't wait for the turkey sandwiches, potpie, enchiladas and meatloaf to come.

[frazzled]

8. Couldn't the average price be rising because

many people are not buying your average industrial-raised turkey anymore? They're buying organic, or free-range, or small local-farm varieties that cost much more per pound (say, $3.50). Or heirloom, heritage, or kosher. It may still be a small segment of the turkey sales overall, but it's a significant one.

[B2G]

10. $3.50 a pound for a turkey??

That would run folks like $88 bucks.

No freakin way that's the reason. IMO...

[frazzled]

12. Sure

organic, "natural," and other turkeys can easily be that much. For instance:

ORGANIC TURKEY FROM LARRY SCHULTZ FARM
$3.99/lb


DETAILS

Midwest-raised by fourth generation farmers. Organic certification requires that feed, farm and processing all meet organic standards.

$3.99 per pound

Suggested Serving Size: 1 lb per person

[UncleYoder]

13. It's not a large percentage of the turkey buyers.

But yes, people are paying 3.50 a lb. and lining up to do it.

We got out of the business last year just because we didn't feel right charging 70-75 bucks a bird.
But we had 25 to 30 people buying from us each year.

Once you've had an older (by 6-8 weeks) bird you'll never go back to "Kroger" (16-20 lb.) birds.
Those last weeks all the feed goes into making breast meat. Along with a nice thin fat covering
that makes basting unnecessary.

[FLPanhandle]

9. We buy our turkeys from a local farm.

No antibiotics, no massive pens.

Expensive as hell, but worth it.

[marmar]

11. ...............

Oh, you meant these turkeys are getting expensive......

[xchrom]

14. !

[NightWatcher]

16. The thing I miss about my ex-inlaws...Thanksgiving Lasagna

Turkey is dry unless you deep fry it. Then it only tastes like a big fried chicken.

My ex-inlaws were Italian and every holiday meant a big-assed lasagna.

One of these years I'll take a swing at it myself.