Thanksgiving feast to cost more

Americans are bracing for a costly Thanksgiving this year, with doubledigit percentage increases in the price of turkey, potatoes, stuffing, canned pumpkin and other staples. The U.S. government estimates food prices will be up 9.5% to 10.5% this year; historically, they’ve risen only 2% annually.

Lower production and higher costs for labor, transportation and items are part of the reason; disease, rough weather and the war in Ukraine are also contributors.

“This really isn’t a shortage thing. This is tighter supplies with some pretty good reasons for it,” said David Anderson, a professor and agricultural economist at Texas A&M.

Wholesale turkey prices are at record highs after a difficult year for U.S. flocks. A particularly deadly strain of avian flu has wiped out 49 million turkeys and other poultry in 46 states this year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

Avian flu also pushed egg prices into record territory, Anderson said.