Finding a turkey for your Thanksgiving centerpiece shouldn’t be a problem. KLIN News reached out to Melrose Feed Mill with Turkey Valley Farms in Minnesota. Vice President Jessica Westbrook says they produce 24,000 turkeys a week and there have seen no disruption in the production of their birds. That equals 1.4 million birds a year and 40 million pounds of turkey.
Westbrook says, “We are not anticipating a shortage of birds as we approach Thanksgiving. There might be instances where the bigger birds will be available but the smaller birds, under 16 pounds will be swooped up first because people aren’t looking at having a huge family gathering.”
When it comes to transporting, Westbrook says they have had no interruptions. They produce their turkeys in Marshal, Minnesota and as far as trucking goes, they have had a steady flow with no issues.
While they supply the turkeys, Westbrook says they don’t set the price. USDA recently released information that shows the average wholesale price of turkey is up about 22% this year compared to last. They say the ongoing supply chain issues are the biggest factor for the price increase. The average price is about $1.40 a pound compared to $1.15 a pound last year. In 2018, the price was 84-cents a pound.
It isn’t just the turkey that you will be paying more for this year. Prices are up on everything from potatoes to pumpkin, anywhere from 13% to 20%.