HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Despite the rising cost of turkeys this Thanksgiving, local farmers told ABC Action News they are still hurting financially. One farmer is now working on a new plan that might help keep prices down for him. and possibly you, in the future.
At Trailbale Farms in Hillsborough County, the farm is sold out of turkeys this Thanksgiving.
Travis Malloy said his customers have returned and “they wanted big turkeys,” he added.
This is the first time in nearly three years they’ve been this busy. That’s despite several factors like bird flu and inflation forcing them to raise their prices 25 percent this year.
“At every step, we’ve seen an increase and at the end of the day, that just makes a turkey more expensive per pound. This year feed cost has been through the roof for us,” Malloy said.
Malloy added, “We’re also not hatching our own chicks. We buy them from a breeder who raises them who has increased cost.”
That’s why he said money is still low for them despite being sold out.
“We are not seeing an increased profit for these increased prices,” Malloy explained.
Malloy has something in the works that might drive down costs in the future.
“I’m experimenting now with friends about raising different proteins for my chickens through waste conversion,” he explained.
Malloy said by creating more of the food for their feed at TrailBale Farm, they won’t have to outsource. That could help keep the prices for them down and for folks buying their turkeys, but could take years to put in place.
