Statewide Iowa — (RI) — Less than a week from now, families across Iowa will be gathering at the table to enjoy the taste of turkey, and in many cases, the bird will have been raised and processed right here in Iowa.
Gretta Irwin, executive director of the Iowa Turkey Federation, says Iowa is the nation’s seventh largest producer of turkeys and the fifth largest processor. Irwin says shoppers are finding great deals on the big birds.
Iowa turkey producers have faced economic challenges over the past year — and longer — given slumping sales due to an oversupply.
There’s optimism, Irwin says, that there will be a significant strengthening of the market in the year ahead. For Iowans who are cooking turkeys next week, there is sometimes anxiety about having the time to get a frozen turkey thoroughly thawed.
It’s important to note, a fully thawed turkey might take three hours to cook while a frozen turkey might need four-and-a-half hours, depending on the size. Find more tips at: www.iowaturkey.org
Photo from the KIWA Archives
