Gobble gobble: Canada’s meat supply looking good for Christmas, sector says
Global News
Bird flu cases this year have impacted poultry farms across Canada, but no shortage of turkey is expected in the country this Christmas, the sector says.
Canadians cooking up turkey or other kinds of meat this holiday season can rest assured there will be plenty to feast on.
Bird flu cases this year have impacted poultry farms across Canada, but no shortage of turkey is expected in the country this Christmas, the sector says.
Turkey supply has increased by roughly 10 per cent this year compared with 2022, according to the Turkey Farmers of Canada, which represents more than 500 turkey farmers across the country,
“We have no concerns about shortages ahead of Christmas,” Phil Boyd, executive director of Turkey Farmers of Canada, said in an emailed statement to Global News.
“We are confident Canadians will have plenty of turkey options available leading to the holidays and be able to purchase a variety of affordable whole turkeys, turkey roasts and turkey products,” he said.
The turkey industry was one of the hardest hit by the avian flu in 2022, according to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and that disrupted holiday supply in the country last year.
As of Dec. 20, more than 10 million birds across Canada are estimated to have been impacted by the avian flu, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency reports.
Despite new avian flu cases being detected this year, Boyd said “turkey farmers have done an incredible job of maintaining their strict biosecurity measures on farm, reducing supply interruptions to the maximum extent possible.”