The American turkey industry had little to celebrate on Thanksgiving Day 2024.
For years, the farmers who grow the birds and the integrated processors who feed, transport, and process them have faced adverse market conditions, shrinking demand for their products, and consistent animal health challenges.
In 2024, according to estimates published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) in September, the size of the national turkey flock likely dropped to a level not seen since the 1980s. Nevertheless, Mark Jordan, executive director of animal agriculture consultant Leap Market Analytics, told The Epoch Times that the price of turkey isn’t rising as it should in a short supply scenario because demand is so low….