Could South Dakota Face a Thanksgiving Turkey Shortage This Year?

What's Thanksgiving without turkey? Well, you may get to find out as we are facing a possible turkey shortage going into the holiday season.

Running out of turkeys is unlikely, but you may have to look around for one if you wait too long. And when you do find one, there's a good chance it'll cost more this year. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) says that the price per pound of turkeys in late 2025 will be about 40 percent higher than last year.

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Why Turkey Prices Are Rising

Just like with eggs last year, this turkey problem is thanks to the bird flu, specifically a strain called Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. When a bird comes down with the flu, the producer must separate the infected birds from the non-infected and possibly destroy them to prevent the spread of the virus. All this leads to fewer turkeys going to market and higher prices.

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I haven't seen any signs of empty turkey shelves at the grocery store. Now may be a good time to consider changing Thanksgiving dinner plans, just in case.

The Thanksgiving dinner is indeed the centerpiece of the holiday, but that doesn't mean there has to be a turkey on the table. The day is about fellowship with loved ones and sharing gratitude for all our blessings. You can eat anything you want.

Turkey Alternatives Worth Trying

One alternative is, of course, ham. And luckily enough, we seem to have plenty of pigs.

Or roast beef is a good turkey substitute. Or if you want to get really weird, you could have goose.

How about a pork roast? Put it in the slow cooker in the morning and have it ready by dinner time.

You could also make some nice Thanksgiving enchiladas. Or maybe some tamales. Any day is a good day for tamales.

Clean out the fridge and make a Thanksgiving hot dish. There's nothing wrong with a plate of Thanksgiving spaghetti.

Make Thanksgiving Your Own

You don't even have to cook yourself. There are always plenty of places open on Thanksgiving Day. Take the fam out for a Thanksgiving burger or delicious gas station pizza.