KERSHAW COUNTY, S.C. — Turkey is a Thanksgiving staple, but the birds might be more difficult to find and cost more this year.
Experts say higher prices are resulting from labor shortages, higher transportation costs and supply-chain disruptions.
Ron Prestage, president of Prestage Farms South Carolina, says the pandemic caused them to work with less staff during the year. Additionally, an increase in corn prices has caused issues for farmers.
"Between the summer of 2020 and now, the price for a bushel of corn has doubled," Prestage said. "Grain prices got very, very high. That is about 80% of the total cost to producing a turkey."
The biggest obstacle Prestage says the farm has faced has been that of labor. "We're down about 30% from what I would call normal volumes in my South Carolina operations this year, strictly because of the fact that we just struggled so much with the labor in the processing facilities ... it doesn't do you any good to grow them if you can't get them processed."
With limited workers and increased prices, Prestage said some farmers had to make the difficult decision to raise fewer turkeys. "It's months down the road that you gotta anticipate the ability to do that," Prestage said. "Well, if you're fearful that you're not gonna have the labor to process the birds, you have to be very, very strategic on whether or not you want to put that egg in an incubator. At the same time, that frozen inventory is what gives you the ability to meet the demand."
Prestage also says the truck driver shortage plays a role, causing some birds to not make it to stores in time for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Prestage, however, says he's hopeful folks can find a turkey this year.
Look hard to find turkeys. "We don't want to have any of them leftover after Christmas," Prestage said with a smile.
Prestage Farms is set to expand into the 200-acre industrial park on Olivet Street.