Prepare to pay more on Turkey Day

Suggested Intro:

THANKS TO RISING COMMODITY PRICES, CONSUMERS SHOULD EXPECT TO PAY A LITTLE MORE FOR THEIR TRADITIONAL THANKSGIVING DINNER. BUT GARY ABDULLAH TALKED TO A PENN STATE TURKEY EXPERT WHO SAYS THE PRICE JUMP WON'T BE EVENLY DISTRIBUTED.

Story:

(:17)  THE AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FEDERATION SAYS SOARING COMMODITY PRICES HAVE INCREASED THE COST OF THE STANDARD TURKEY DINNER WITH TRIMMINGS BY 13 PERCENT. PENN STATE POULTRY SCIENTIST MIKE HULET SAYS THE GRAIN DEMANDS OF ETHANOL AND A BAD SUMMER IN THE MIDWEST ARE TO BLAME, AND THE IMPACT IS THE MOST OBVIOUS IN THE AVAILABILITY OF FRESH TURKEYS COMPARED TO FROZEN:

Hulet Actuality:

(:18) "SO THE PRICE OF PRODUCING A BIRD HAS GONE UP. AND THEN WE HAD SOME DISEASE PROBLEMS, SO THERE WERE SHORTAGES ON THE SUPPLY OF BIRDS FOR THIS THANKSGIVING SEASON. BECAUSE OF THAT, THEN WE'LL PROBABLY SEE AN INCREASE IN THE PRICE OF FRESH BIRDS. FROZEN BIRDS STILL HAVE A GOOD SUPPLY AT REDUCED PRICES."

(:15) HULET SAYS THE OVERALL SUPPLY STILL WILL ALLOW MOST SUPERMARKETS TO OFFER A FREE OR LOW-COST FROZEN TURKEY AS AN ENTICEMENT TO SHOP THERE. BUT, IF YOU WANT A FRESH BIRD, BE READY TO SEARCH A LITTLE HARDER AND PAY A LITTLE MORE. FROM PENN STATE, I’M GARY ABDULLAH.

LEARN MORE:

"Penn State ag economist says rising food prices not the farmers' fault"