BALDWIN CITY, Kan. — This Thanksgiving, the consumer dollar will stretch further surrounding food costs.
The American Farm Bureau Federation's 39th annual Thanksgiving dinner survey reports food costs for staple foods is down five percent from last year.
A large contributor to the decline comes from nationwide turkey production due to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, or HPAI.
"We have geese flying over us all the time," said John Vesecky, the owner of Vesecky Family Farms turkey operation. "We’ve been lucky."
A November AFBF Market Intel report states 14.2 million turkeys were affected by Avian influenza; 2024 production is down 6.3% from last year, at its lowest point since 1985.
"There’s nothing you can do," Vesecky said. "You just hope for the best."
Poultry advocates say the industry is strong despite a USDA report showing consumer demand for turkey is low, driving down the supermarket price.
"I think it’s resiliency through the supply chain," said Leslee Oden, CEO of the National Turkey Foundation. "Working more efficiently has allowed for our processors to keep that price down."
The National Turkey Federation does not dictate the price consumers pay at the grocery store.
Oden says growers are overcoming industry challenges by ensuring products are adequately processed.
"We are delighted to see several discounted prices at the grocery store," Oden said. "Thanksgiving turkey can still be the center of your plate next week."
Americans will pay an average $25.67 for a 16 pound turkey come Thanksgiving.
Vesecky's comparable white broad-breasted birds will fetch $3.85 per pound — a 16 pound bird amounting to $61.60.
"We sell to a different clientele than people at the grocery store buying a cheaper turkey," he said. "I went up a nickel a pound this year on the white broad breasted turkey — it really hasn’t slowed people down."
Free-range Vesecky turkeys fetch a higher price for its free range/pasture raised quality.
The Douglas County, Kansas, farmer is not competing with big box grocery stores like Wal-Mart or Hy-Vee.
Consumer's options for other protein is putting strain on the commercial industry and poultry advocates to market turkey products.
"Turkey is such a versatile protein — one of the things we're pushing for is how you can incorporate turkey into your everyday life," Oden said. "That’s the area we’re looking to move forward."
In the 2024 American Farm Bureau Thanksgiving survey, it explains farmers only receive about $0.09 of the consumer dollar depending on products.
It also reports national net farm incomes are expected to drop by $6.5 billion dollars in 2024.
The Kansas Department of Agriculture reported to KSHB it hasn't reported a new case of HPAI since April.
For more information on Vesecky Family Farms turkey production ahead of Thanksgiving, click here.
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KSHB 41 reporter Ryan Gamboa covers Miami County in Kansas and Cass County in Missouri. Share your story idea with Ryan.
