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We realize it’s a first world problem, but it is a problem. This Thanksgiving, turkey may be hard to source, and if you can find a bird, it’ll be expensive. Why? Bird flu has impacted the nation’s flocks, with six million turkeys either dying or being euthanized this year. It’s devastating for the birds themselves, and for the farmers who have invested their resources into these long-necked gobblers.
In case you’re wondering, it’s not just turkeys who are facing decimation; 44.6 million birds have died this year from the flu or from preemptive measures, reports the Washington Post. More will die, possibly surpassing 2015’s outbreak numbers of 50.5 million. Amidst this troubling loss, it’s not that much to ask that we perhaps pay 20 percent more than usual for the big guy that graces the middle of the table.
From an animal rights standpoint, it’s upsetting to realize that birds roaming the barnyard are most at risk, as they can become infected from the guano dropped by sick, wild birds flying overhead. Some farmers bring ‘broilers’ (birds raised for meat) and laying hens indoors during migration periods, which protects them but also keeps them from the sustaining benefits of outdoor life. Turkeys in general do not have indoor accommodations, reports the Post, which could explain why they are being targeted more than other bird varieties—or maybe the virus ‘has mutated in such a way that turkeys are a better host,’ California State Veterinarian Annette Jones told the Post.
And according to Eater, it’s not just turkey that’s going to be tough (to find) for holiday meals: crab legs and even our buddy butter will be scarce. Overfishing and warmer waters from the climate emergency have affected Alaska’s snow crab harvest to the degree that this month, the state’s fish and game department canceled the crab fishing season. Dungeness won’t be available until December 1, well past Thanksgiving Day gatherings, and the East Coast’s blue crab are also scarce although fishing them has not yet been banned.
Butter, which makes it better, is also becoming an endangered species, thanks to the war in Ukraine and rising milk prices and other costs for dairy producers. Eater says that butter prices have already risen by $1/pound since January and will continue to rise. The USDA asks that people only buy what they need; let’s not have a run on butter like the pandemic toilet paper shortage.
Think ahead, be creative with your menu, and as many families do, take a moment around the table to reflect on how good we have it. If foregoing turkey is the worst of our problems, we are lucky.