Your Thanksgiving turkey costs more this year because feed and farm bills jumped again.
Story Snapshot
- A New Jersey family farm raised turkey prices by 30 cents per pound due to higher costs.
- Corn and soybean feed prices climbed, squeezing small producers’ margins.
- U.S. data show turkey grower prices and wholesale prices increased heading into the holidays.
- Feed remains the biggest input for turkeys, and cost shocks ripple in with a delay.
Family farm raises prices as feed and fuel climb.
DiPaola Turkey Farms increased its Thanksgiving turkey price by 30 cents per pound. Owner Artie DiPaola linked the move to higher corn and soybean feed costs and other expenses. He said feed was up around 10 to 12 percent, which hit the farm’s bottom line and forced the change despite long ties with local buyers. This mirrors what many small producers face when input costs move fast while holiday demand locks them into tight delivery windows.
Wholesale turkey prices also rose this season. Reports pointed to a nationwide increase that added pressure on retailers and families. Higher costs for fuel, labor, and packaging added to the strain on farms that lack scale or deep reserves. The result showed up on the price tag in November, right when shoppers filled carts for the holiday table. One farm’s struggle reflected a broader squeeze many family operations felt at once.
Government data show feed and turkey prices up.
United States Department of Agriculture data show turkey grower prices climbed into late 2025 and 2026. The department reported a turkey price received of about $1.21 per pound in December 2025, up sharply from a year earlier. Other reports forecast higher wholesale prices in 2026thanh the prior year. These measures do not set retail prices, but they confirm that the market moved higher as farms faced cost and disease risks on the way to Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving shoppers face higher turkey prices as family farms struggle with rising costs https://t.co/UCjGH1Ebos
— FOX Business (@FoxBusiness) November 12, 2026
Feed costs also ticked higher during 2025. United States Department of Agriculture price tables show the corn price and feed grain index rising from month to month in several reports. Those moves raised the cost to feed birds through the grow-out cycle. The department’s modeling for poultry costs assumes a heavy feed share built on corn and soybeans. For turkeys, the feed mix and delivery lags matter because cost spikes today can raise finished-bird costs three months later.
Why a 30-cent bump can happen fast
Feed is the largest single input in raising turkeys, so swings in corn and soybeans hit hard. During past commodity surges, feed price shocks cut into profits across the turkey sector, even for efficient producers. The United States Department of Agriculture’s method also assumes a three-month lag from feed purchase to market birds, which means a late-summer rise can bite right before Thanksgiving. When feed, fuel, labor, and packaging all nudge higher at once, a small per-pound increase can be the only path to survive.
Market structure shapes what shoppers pay. The farm share of the food dollar is small compared to processing, trucking, and retail. That means even modest increases along the chain can stack up on the shelf. Some economists find that farm commodity price jumps pass through to retail less than people expect. But at holiday peaks, when demand is locked in and margins are thin, pass-through can speed up as sellers try to avoid losses.
What this means for shoppers and small farms
Shoppers face a clear trade-off. Pay a little more per pound today, or risk fewer local options tomorrow. Family farms like DiPaola carry community trust, but they cannot run at a loss through the holidays. Conservative common sense says you cannot spend more than you take in and stay open. When the math shifts on feed and fuel, price tags must reflect it, or the farm shutters. That outcome helps no one, least of all families who want quality and choice.
Relief can still come. If feed costs cool and flock health holds, models point to some easing ahead as production expands. The gap is the next few months, when delayed feed costs are still working through birds on the ground. Smart buyers can watch store ads, consider frozen options, and size turkeys to reduce waste. Smart policy can hold the line on energy and transport costs and keep supply chains clear. Both steps help bring that price tag back down.
Sources:
foxbusiness.com, esmis.nal.usda.gov, capitalpress.com, ers.usda.gov, kansascityfed.org, ag.purdue.edu
