The Minnesota Turkey Growers Association is closely monitoring competition from other protein sources as consumer demand continues to shift.
Executive Director Ashley Kohls says beef remains highly popular, even as retail prices climb.
“If you are a beef producer right now, you are loving life, but it’s reflective of what consumers are also seeing in the grocery store. So is there opportunity for turkey to position itself as kind of a center of the plate protein in an environment in a grocery store where the price pressure may lean in our favor.”
Kohls says industry checkoff investments are helping fund research into consumer behavior and strategies to increase turkey demand.
At the same time, the industry is seeing signs of improvement in disease-related challenges. Kohls says fewer cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza have been reported this year, raising hopes for a more stable supply chain.
“Are we figuring out our disease issues enough to have the supply chain that we haven’t had for the past couple of years, which has lead to issues with being that center of the plate.”
Industry leaders say they will continue tracking consumer trends as they work to strengthen turkey’s position in the marketplace.
