The Farm Bureau’s annual survey of Thanksgiving dinner costs—which shows a 13 percent increase over last year—has garnered considerable attention from the national media.
What many of them fail to mention is that the biggest share of that increased cost comes from the turkey. And Iowa Farm Bureau spokesman Dave Miller says that’s being driven by increased turkey demand worldwide.
“U.S. production of turkey is up about two percent this year, so we’re actually seeing more production,” Miller says, “ but exports of turkey meat are up 24 percent.”
The survey found the average cost of a dinner to feed 10 people Thanksgiving Day is 49-dollars-and-20-cents. Miller says that’s still a pretty good deal.
“It is a year where Thanksgiving is going to cost a little more,” he says, “but we would point out that you can still feed a family of 10 for under five dollars a person, with a very nice Thanksgiving dinner.”
The survey showed the average price of a 16-pound turkey increased by three-dollars-and-ninety-one-cents this year, compared to 2010.
Radio Iowa contributed to this story.
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