Northwest Iowa — Area grocery stores will likely be exceptionally busy this weekend as folks stock up on supplies for next week’s Thanksgiving feast.
Turkeys will be one of the top sellers for the next several days. Shayle Shagam is a livestock analyst with the U-S-D-A and says production has rebounded in this area and elsewhere after last year’s bird flu outbreak.
Turkey industry officials in Iowa say the state’s operations are back at capacity and Iowa has moved from the 9th largest turkey producing state to the 8th largest. Next year, it’s expected Iowa will reach the 11-million mark for turkeys raised. It’s simple supply and demand, Shagam says, as turkey supplies are up so prices are falling.
Many people have big freezers in their garages or basements for storing food. Marianne Gravely, with the U-S-D-A’s Meat and Poultry Hotline, says she’s had calls from people who’ve had a turkey frozen for ten years and wonder if it’s safe to thaw out now and cook.
She reminds, that’s a quality issue, not a safety issue. For questions about buying, thawing and preparing a turkey, call 888-MP-HOTLINE.
