Turkey production in southeast Iowa has had its ups and downs over the last few years, but one farm manager in Washington says farmers will adapt and overcome the challenges coming their way.
Tye Rinner, Farm Manager at Rinner Farms in Washington, says turkey production in southeast Iowa has been “a little on the rough side” over the last few years, with various avian diseases and typical health challenges that the birds face. At the same time, Rinner says, “Things can always go better. It hasn’t been going horrible this year, now that we have a vaccine available, but it’s just like any other livestock. It has its ups and its downs, and if it was perfect, everyone would do it.”
One particular challenge, Rinner says, is that turkey isn’t as attractive to buyers as beef, pork or chicken at the grocery store. He attributes that to not being the first thing people think of when they go to the store. However, turkey does shine after being processed into deli meat or ground meat…