Thanksgiving turkey becomes expensive

Thanksgiving turkeys and Christmas hams could become extremely expensive this year now floods have destroyed an estimated 2 million or more acres (800,000 ha) of corn and soybean fields in Iowa, Indiana, Illinois and other key growing states, sending world grain prices skyhigh on fears of a substantially smaller corn crop.

"We're in survival mode now," said Paul Hill, chairman of West Liberty Foods, a turkey processor based in West Liberty, Iowa. He estimated US turkey producers will reduce their flocks by 10 to 15% nationwide, a cutback that will send consumer prices dramatically higher.

Due to the high feed prices pig farmers have to cut back on the number of animals that they raise. "The cost of Thanksgiving and Christmas turkeys will go up this year, and maybe even more next year," said Hill, who is also the chairman of the National Turkey Federation.

Subscribe here to the free poultry newsletter

Editor WorldPoultry