According to a CoBank Knowledge Exchange report consumers may be turning from turkeys as the centerpiece of their Thanksgiving meals. Turkey features were down by one-third for Thanksgiving 2023 compared with five years previously.
Turkey production has declined since COVID for a number of reasons. These include susceptibility of growout farms to avian influenza, production difficulties including turkey rhinotracheitis and other infections that affect either hatchability or growth rate. Consumption of whole birds may be limited by fewer large family gatherings for Thanksgiving.
USDA project 2025 turkey production at 5,165 million lbs. approximately 6.4 percent lower than in 2024. This is reflected in a decline in per capita consumption to 13.7 lb. in 2025 partly compensated by a 2.9 percent in exports to 530 million lbs. representing 10.3 percent of production.