Shopping for turkey? What to know about bird flu, prices ahead of Thanksgiving – National | 24CA News
Canadians planning their Thanksgiving dinners can breathe simple this yr.
There is “abundant supply” of turkey within the nation forward of the busy vacation season, producers say, however farmers are nonetheless cautious of the dangers of chicken flu that disrupted provide final yr.
The turkey trade was one of many hardest hit by the illness in 2022, in line with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
So far this yr, avian influenza infections have been detected in 47 places in seven provinces, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) advised Global News.
Out of those, 12 contaminated premises had turkeys on them together with different species, CFIA stated.
Turkey Farmers of Canada (TFC), which represents greater than 500 turkey farmers throughout the nation, stated it’s monitoring the avian flu state of affairs shifting into fall and is in common communication with the CFIA.
“Currently, there have been only a few isolated cases of avian influenza in poultry flocks this season, and we have no concerns about avian influenza impacting turkey availability for the holiday seasons in 2023,” Phil Boyd, govt director of Turkey Farmers of Canada, advised Global News in an emailed assertion.
Turkey teams say the sector has bounced again from underproduction and inflationary pressures that elevated costs.
“We’re not expecting any shortages heading into the holiday period this year,” stated Natalie Veles, govt director of the B.C. Turkey Marketing Board.
“Our producers have gotten right back into business after last year’s case(s) of avian influenza that really had a big impact on our sector,” she advised Global News in an interview.
As of Sept. 28, an estimated 7.7 million birds have been impacted by the extremely pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), also called H5N1 throughout the nation, in line with the newest information by the CFIA.
Despite fewer occurrences seen this yr, farmers stay “very vigilant” within the fall amid the migratory season for wild birds when the chance of an infection is usually excessive.
“It’s something that’s at the top of mind, especially during those migratory seasons and we’re in the middle of one right now,” stated Matt Steele, chair of the Turkey Farmers of Ontario.
“Our farmers are being vigilant with the security of their flocks and making sure they’re safe and comfortable and protected from the avian flu,” he advised Global News.
Is your Thanksgiving turkey protected?
Avian flu is unfold by means of contact with an contaminated chicken or poultry merchandise. Although uncommon, people and non-avian species can even get contaminated.
However, the virus doesn’t pose a meals security concern, the CFIA says.
“There is no evidence to suggest that eating cooked poultry or eggs could transmit HPAI to humans,” the company states on its web site.
To maintain the virus in verify, the CFIA in collaboration with the trade has surveillance applications in place that concentrate on wild birds and home flocks.
Biosecurity measures contain sustaining good hygiene practices and limiting publicity to exterior sources of contamination, the company says.
“Canadian turkey farmers meet strict biosecurity standards, and as we move into fall, have heightened precautions to prevent avian influenza from entering their barns,” Boyd stated.
Canada has additionally positioned restrictions on imports of some poultry merchandise or by-products from U.S. states affected by a chicken flu outbreak.
For Thanksgiving final yr, greater than two million complete turkeys have been bought by Canadians, which was virtually a 3rd of all complete turkeys offered in 2022, in line with the Turkey Farmers of Canada.
In whole, Canadians consumed 127.9 million kilograms of turkey all year long.
With Thanksgiving quick approaching, the trade is working laborious to get the birds prepared and is hopeful there’s sufficient urge for food.
“It’s a robust time for sales of whole turkeys across Ontario and across the country and so we look forward to having a strong Thanksgiving sales program,” Steele stated.
How a lot does a Thanksgiving turkey value?
Over the previous yr and a half, Canadians have seen grocery journeys change into extra expensive amid total inflationary pressures.
Fresh or frozen poultry costs have been up by 8.9 per cent yr over yr in August, in line with the Statistics Canada’s newest inflation information printed final month.
Farmers have additionally seen the price of grains to feed the birds go up that, in flip, translated to customers paying extra for turkey final yr.
However, Canadians might count on to see steady turkey costs once they go searching for their Thanksgiving meals.
“We’re seeing less inflationary pressure on prices,” Steele stated. “We think that this season Canadians can look forward to a competitively priced product at the stores, and we’re going to hopefully see some stability with that.”
Prices are set by retailers they usually range throughout the nation.
For occasion, a pound — which is lower than half a kilogram — of frozen turkey might value round $1.99 and between $2.49 and $2.99 for recent turkey in Ontario, in line with Steele.
In B.C., the worth can vary from $6 to $8 per kilogram and better if it’s a specialty regionally grown chicken, Veles stated.
© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
