Michigan turkey growers fight diseases, high costs to put birds on dinner tables
Michigan Turkey Producers headquarters in Grand Rapids. Credit: Michigan Turkey Producers.
by Olivia O’Neill, Capital News Service
With hot pads and thermometers in hand, oven doors will open, letting a hot breeze and aroma escape into kitchens across Michigan on Nov. 26.
As families begin to plan their Thanksgiving dinners, farmers face challenges with bringing the food to the consumer’s table, especially the turkeys.
With bird flu and increased costs, the farmers’ fall season has become more demanding, experts say.
According to the National Turkey Federation, a customer poll last year showed 94% of Americans plan to celebrate Thanksgiving with an estimated 30 million turkeys on their tables.
In Michigan, the farmer-owned cooperative Michigan Turkey Producers based in Grand Rapids raises tom turkeys. That’s according to Nancy Barr, the executive director of Michigan Allied Poultry Industries in East Lansing.
“These are large male birds, primarily for further processing, not whole birds for roasting on Thanksgiving,” Barr said. “Although, they do produce some wonderful roasts.”
The top five turkey-producing counties in Michigan are Ottawa as the largest producer, then Kent, Allegan, Ingham and Genesee.
Production lies in the hands of farms like Otto’s Turkey Farm in Middleville which have been busy with processing, packing, hauling and delivering with the rush of the upcoming Thanksgiving season, according to owner Tom Otto and his staff.
“Honestly, this has been a tough stretch,” said Leslee Oden, the president and CEO of the National Turkey Federation in Washington, D.C. “Over the last few years, we have dealt with significant animal health challenges. Michigan knows that well.”
For farmers, bird flu — highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) and avian metapneumovirus (aMPV) — have had a big impact on rising input costs and remain a lasting problem.
In the past four years, 66 outbreaks of HPAI have been reported in Michigan: 23 in commercial flocks, three in commercial egg operations and 40 in backyard mixed poultry flocks. Almost all of the commercial cases were in Ottawa, Newaygo, Gratiot and Kent counties.
With the outbreaks affecting large flocks across the state, farmers have had more on their plates with increased prevention efforts to avoid outbreak, said Oden.
“Biosecurity on turkey farms is as tight as it’s ever been,” she said. “Growers now have vaccines for aMPV that they didn’t have a few years ago. Those vaccines are making a real difference.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture released a poultry, production and value 2025 summary, based on counts from Sept. 1, 2024, through Aug. 31, 2025. It reported 4.3 million turkeys raised and 184 million pounds of production in Michigan.
While those numbers dropped from the previous year, the value of production saw a major increase from $111.48 million in 2024 to $165.27 million in the 2025 season, USDA data shows.
“Last year resulted in the U.S.’s smallest total flock size in 40 years,” Oden said. “Since 2022, HPAI alone has cost the industry more than 22 million turkeys total, with Michigan farmers having lost just under 2 million turkeys.”
USDA information for the 2026 season forecasts 199 million turkeys raised in the U.S. this year, up 3% from 2025.
“This year has been calmer in the state,” Oden said. “So far in 2026, the virus was found in two commercial flocks in Kent County and one backyard flock earlier this spring. But the fall [bird] migration season is underway, so farmers are staying on high alert.”
She said food safety and animal welfare regulations through USDA and its Food Safety and Inspection Service inspectors help protect the farmers’ work.
With those protections, the number of Michigan turkeys raised this year is estimated to be 4.5 million.
While the biggest challenge for farmers has been outbreaks of bird flu across the country in recent years, the added costs have been a struggle.
The Otto farm raises hens for Thanksgiving. According to its website, it uses feed that is mixed and milled at the farm.
To raise the turkeys naturally — no antibiotics or hormones used — means additional costs for the farmers. Costs are significantly affected by the type of feed and where it is sourced from, said Oden.
“Corn and soybean prices have fluctuated throughout this year,” Oden said,“while non-GMO and organic birds cost more to raise because the feed costs more.”
According to the Michigan Ag Council, an organization of farmers, commodity groups and agribusinesses, there are 53 farms in the state that raise male turkeys.
However, many independent farms that provide whole birds for Thanksgiving are spread out throughout the state, such as Otto’s Turkey Farm, Cook Family Farm in Gaylord, L & J Turkey Farms in Ovid and Ropertis Turkey Farm in Livonia.
Many grocery stores discount whole turkeys to lure customers in for their other holiday shopping.
“There will be plenty of turkeys available this holiday season,” Oden said. “Retailers have already purchased the majority of turkeys intended for the holiday season, so the supply available in stores is essentially established.”
According to the USDA, advertised retail prices for whole turkeys at major grocery stores for the week of Oct. 26 ranged from $1.77 to $1.97 per pound.
“Our best advice is to shop early, especially if you want a specific size or type,” Oden said. “Call ahead of time about special orders or order-by dates. If you have freezer space, grab a frozen bird now.”
“There’s nothing wrong with beating the rush,” she said.
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