Turkey production could double in Michigan over the next two
years, says a leader in the industry.
By comparison, Ontario’s turkey industry has been stagnant
for more than a decade.
The Canadian Turkey Marketing Agency and the Turkey Farmers
of Ontario marketing board have been searching long and hard for ways to
stimulate demand, especially outside of whole birds for Thanksgiving, Christmas
and Easter family feasts.
Val
Vail-Shirey, executive director of the Michigan Allied Poultry Industries
(MAPI), said on a
local report on Michigan radio station WJR that increased broiler demand
also has the potential to fuel more production and new processing capacity in
Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.
Michigan
poultry producers are already trying to meet such current challenges as labor
uncertainty and reliable access to energy, Vail-Shirey said.
MAPI
represents turkey, chicken and egg farmers who raise five million turkeys and
3.8 million broiler chickens and own 10.5 million egg-laying hens.
Ontario could obviously be doing as well as Michigan because the climate, the housing, the feed, the breeding stock and management practices are all quite similar.
The difference seems obvious - a complacent farming and processing industry that simply charges whatever sky-high tariff protection will allow.
And do you think the resulting high prices just might have something to do with stagnant consumer demand?
