CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — TheAmerican Farm Bureau Federationpoints to several factors that has caused the price of turkey to go up, including inflation.
Texas A&M University-Kingsville Professor of Meat Science, Jason Apple tells KZTV10 what else has contributed to this surge.
"Probably the biggest cause right now is high pathogenic avian influenza,” he said.
Apple added that turkeys laying fewer eggs last spring and devastating drought conditions has also lead to the shortage.
The cost of feed, fuel, fertilizer, and labor don’t help making raising turkeys even more expensive.
"I hate to say it's kind of the perfect storm of rising costs, the costs of supply chain, to get it from point A to point B,” said Apple.
Apply said shoppers are now experiencing the problems farmers have been facing.
He estimates people will pay 10 cents more a pound or higher just to enjoy a turkey this holiday season.
Lisa Saenz is the event organizer for the Joe Salem Thanksgiving Day Dinner. A community event going on 79 years.
This year, Saenz is worried about how much more it'll cost to put on this event.
"It's something we already thought about and we're kind of prepared to see that increase in food costs, but the show must go on,” she said.
Saenz said the budget for the Thanksgiving Day dinner had already increased from 2020 to 2021 by $700.
She's expecting to pay that same amount or more this year in order to feed 500 families.
"It's just something that we budget for every year and regardless of the increase and food costs it'll still happen,” said Saenz.
Saenz adds, she is prepared to pull money from her own savings to feed everyone .
As Saenz prepares for the 79th Annual Thanksgiving Dinner she asks for community partners to come forward.
For more information call 361-946-3395.
