Turkey prices soar ahead of Thanksgiving, what consumers can expect

The centerpiece for Thanksgiving tables across the country will cost more than ever this holiday season.

The American Farm Bureau Federation announced Wednesday that "families can expect to pay record high prices at the grocery store for turkey" due to bird flu and inflation.

The organization analyzed turkey costs in their latest Market Intel, finding retail prices on fresh boneless, skinless turkey breast reached a record high of $6.70 per pound in September, which is up 112% from 2021. The previous record high price was $5.88 per pound in November 2015, during the highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak.

"This is particularly challenging for turkey production, because it takes a really long time to grow a turkey to its market weight of about 30 pounds. So when we saw these significant shocks to supply this spring, we're now seeing it in grocery stores reflected in those prices today," American Farm Bureau Federation senior economist Veronica Nigh told "Good Morning America."

With inflation at a near 40-year high, retail food prices were up 11.4% in August compared to the same time last year.