Gretta Irwin, Executive Director of the Iowa Turkey Federation, recently spoke to Golden K members at their weekly Thursday 9AM “virtual” meeting.   Ms. Irwin, who has been with the Turkey Federation for 26 years, shared a number of fascinating insights about the Iowa and U.S.A. Turkey Industry:  

• Minnesota is the USA #1 producer; Iowa is #7, but is #2 in Jobs and Wages, contributing $685 Million yearly to the Iowa economy. Top cost to producers is grain for feed. 
• Each turkey raised in Iowa adds $30 to the Iowa economy. One turkey produces over $1 of Iowa grown fertilizer.  
• Iowa is #5 nationally in Turkey Processing, with Tyson Foods in Storm Lake and West Liberty Foods being the major processors, and producing packaged Turkey used for well-known brands like Jimmy Dean Foods, Jimmy Johns, and Subway.  
• A Turkey Hatchery is located in Osceola, IA. 50 million turkeys are hatched per year and are supplied to Iowa producers and many producers in states surrounding Iowa.
• Iowa turkeys are raised in large open area barns. A sanitary environment is paramount, and all turkeys are tested before being released for processing.
• Iowa State University Poultry Farms is building a state-of-the-art Turkey Research facility, with ground- breaking scheduled for April 2021. 
• The Thanksgiving 2020 “Presidential Pardon” Turkeys Corn and Cob are now housed at the ISU Poultry Farm facility. A You Tube video documenting their adventure at the White House is available.

Irwin concluded her presentation by noting that the Federation will be publishing a new cookbook in 2021 titled “Everyday Turkey”.