According to the New York Post, meat producers are expecting a turkey shortage and food retailers are anxiously trying to stock up on the traditional holiday main course. This shortfall is expected to impact fresh turkeys under 16 pounds, said the outlet. These are usually the most popular choice for holiday meals.
Production issues impacting the meat industry are the cause of the projected shortage, said to a July 26 letter from Shady Brook farms, one of the nation’s largest turkey suppliers, according to the New York Post.
Turkey farmers have been struggling with waning production for years due to slowing demand. These issues were made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic, which the Post said reduced labor and increased costs.
“Multiple outbreaks of COVID-19 among meat and poultry processing facility workers have occurred in the United States recently,” said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. According to WebMD, meatpacking plants have been the source of at least 334,000 COVID-19 cases in the U.S.