AMES, Iowa — The recent bird flu outbreaks among Iowa turkeys won’t impact Thanksgiving dinner, according to the Iowa Turkey Federation.

Morgan Pothoven is the Director of Communications and Membership for the federation. She said that so far, there have been fewer avian influenza outbreaks this year compared to last year.

Bird flu is always a concern for turkey farmers. Thus, retailers and turkey companies plan, in advance, and have safety measures.

Pothoven said, “The turkeys that get avian influenza… they’re not going to enter into your food system. So, there’s no human risk. Buying turkey is still the best way to support us to support the industry, to support the farmers going through it, and it’s still a safe protein for you to eat.”

According to the federation, turkeys in Iowa are used for deli meats rather than as Thanksgiving turkey. Therefore, there’s no risk of the outbreak impacting the upcoming holiday.

The federation also doesn’t anticipate the price of turkey to skyrocket due to this outbreak because bird flu outbreaks are risks that farmers and retailers plan for in advance. But, the price is ultimately up for retailers to decide.