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Farmers Warn of Dire Turkey Shortage: One Operating at Only 7% Capacity Ahead of Thanksgiving

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If you’re excited to tear into some turkey with loved ones this Thanksgiving, it might be time to brace yourself for disappointment.

America’s go-to turkey company, Butterball, is concerned that there may be a shortage this year, WBBM-TV reported.

The problem isn’t Biden’s supply chain issues, according to one turkey farmer in Illinois.

Kyle Zimmerman, co-owner of Harrison’s Poultry Farms, told WBBM that while “national supply chain issues have increased many costs,” various small farms have managed to help fill the gap.

The potential turkey shortage is actually thanks to another Democrat-caused problem: America’s labor shortage.

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Robert Kauffman, owner of Ho-Ka Turkey Farms, said “the problem isn’t the turkeys. It’s having people to dress them — take the feathers off and get them ready to cook.”

“I’ve been real worried about getting temporary help for the dressing season,” he said.

“I can dress with a skeleton crew, but I don’t like to. And I won’t get the numbers I need. If I have a nice full dressing line, we can do maybe 2,500 birds a day — the pace I like to have.”

In past years, Kauffman’s farm has brought in around 100 temporary workers to help dress the turkeys. So far this year, he’s hired a mere seven. That’s 7 percent capacity, for those keeping track at home.

Are Democrats to blame for the current labor shortage?

All because Democrats fail to understand basic human nature.

If you give someone unemployment benefits, you are incentivizing that person to stay unemployed.

At least Republicans understand what the problem is. A Bureau of Labor Statistics report from August showed that the 10 states with the lowest unemployment numbers were all Republican-run.

Make no mistake — the labor shortage is undeniably a Democratic problem.

Sure, turkeys will probably make their way into stores for Thanksgiving.

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But when they do, remember that the forces of supply and demand apply to holiday staples the same as any other product.

Fewer birds on store shelves will result in higher prices as Americans scramble to buy them.

Labor shortages don’t just impact employers — they impact the entire economy and virtually every consumer.

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Michael wrote for a number of entertainment news outlets before joining The Western Journal in 2020 as a staff reporter. He now manages the writing and reporting teams, overseeing the production of commentary, news and original reporting content.
Michael Austin graduated from Iowa State University in 2019. During his time in college, Michael volunteered as a social media influencer for both PragerU and Live Action. After graduation, he went on to work as a freelance journalist for various entertainment news sites before joining The Western Journal in 2020 as a staff reporter.

Since then, Michael has been promoted to the role of Manager of Writing and Reporting. His responsibilities now include managing and directing the production of commentary, news and original reporting content.
Birthplace
Ames, Iowa
Nationality
American
Education
Iowa State University
Topics of Expertise
Culture, Faith, Politics, Education, Entertainment




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