Turkeys Cost More Than They Did a Year Ago — and It Might Stay That Way Through Thanksgiving

Mar. 15, 2025

Photo: Getty

Turkey prices and availability may be different thisThanksgiving, thanks to the ongoing spread of bird flu and the ongoing inflation crisis.

Bird flu, which typically spreads during colder months, has affected flocks, with farmers reporting a large number of cases since July — a time when producersgenerally begin breeding for the holiday season, CNBC reported.

The last avian flu outbreak occurred in 2015, and about50 million birds were affected, according to USDA data. This year, already47.6 million birds have been affected, and the illness has been detected in 42 states, the USDA said.

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“It’s certainly occurring at a terrible time,” Walter Kunisch, a senior commodities strategist at Hilltop Securities, told CNBC in a statement.

“These viruses are occurring with a higher level of frequency,” he added. “It seems like this year the [bird flu] is more acute. It’s certainly more widespread in terms of the geography.”

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Alongside bird flu, the increased cost to raise turkeys due to inflation also affects turkey prices. The price of feeding turkeysincreased more than 10%from August 2021 to August 2022, according to USDA data.

source: people.com