turkey

Thanksgiving is one week away – the pressure is on! Cooking this special meal does not have to be intimidating. With a few food safety reminders, you can ensure that you will be able to enjoy your Thanksgiving meal while remaining grateful and healthy.

Thanksgiving Day is just two weeks away, and it’s time to get ready. Here are answers to important food safety questions so you can cook your turkey safely.

Family and food are the heart of the Thanksgiving tradition, a time to come together and celebrate everything we are thankful for. The holiday will certainly feel different this year, with the COVID-19 pandemic restricting travel and large gatherings. But that doesn’t mean every tradition should go by the wayside. Now is a great time to highlight a custom sure to make it look – and taste – like the Thanksgiving we all love – that big, beautiful American-grown turkey.

Did you know that between 2014 and 2018 approximately two thirds of U.S. turkey meat was produced in just six states: Minnesota, Indiana, North Carolina, Virginia, Arkansas, and Iowa? Minnesota, the largest producer, produces more than 15 percent of U.S. turkey meat annually.

ARS developed the Beltsville Small White turkey in response to consumer demand. It dominated the market and transformed how Americans think of Thanksgiving. (ARS photo)

Serving turkey as the centerpiece to a meal is an American tradition that dates to colonial times. Wild turkey was a plentiful game source in early America, hatching in the spring and reaching table weight by the first crisp days of autumn, making wild turkey a perfect choice as the centerpiece of Thanksgiving celebrations. Turkeys continue to hold a prominent place in our celebrations and family feasts.

Poultry owners all know how devastating a disease outbreak can be. Whether it’s a backyard farm with a few birds or a large commercial operation, losing your flock to disease causes more than just financial losses. That was never truer as we faced the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreak a few years ago.

It’s the day after Thanksgiving and all through the streets, 154 million consumers are moving their feet. All aim to get the best deal of the day, whether flat screens, jewelry or a 4K Blu-ray.

Did you know that the wild turkey nearly triumphed over the bald eagle as the symbol of America? Yes, it’s true. Proponents as luminous as Benjamin Franklin once advocated for the turkey to be the symbol on the Great Seal of The United States. That’s all history now, but the turkey remains of strong interest to conservationists. Progress continues on over 40 active U.S. Forest Service habitat projects in partnership with the National Wild Turkey Federation.

More than 46 million turkeys are eaten on Thanksgiving Day and with the never-ending list of side dishes and desserts, it is by far the largest and most stressful meal many consumers prepare all year, leaving room for mistakes that can make guests sick.