TORONTO -- Canada’s turkey farmers say the industry has taken a hit this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but they’re hoping Canadians will still eat the traditional meal at Thanksgiving this year, even if that means they have to buy a smaller bird.

In a recent statement, the Turkey Farmers of Canada said turkey production is down due to reduced demand, particularly in the food service industry and at the deli counter. In anticipation of lower sales, the organization said turkey production was reduced by seven per cent in May, which represents $23.3 million in losses.

Darren Ference, an Alberta turkey farmer and chair of the Turkey Farmers of Canada, said there has been a decrease in sales at full-service delis and deli departments at local grocery stores and retailers.

“That was one of the major hits that increased our breast meat in supplies and since then we’ve taken a 10-million kilogram decrease across the country,” he told CTV News Channel on Friday.

As Canadians stay home more and cook their own meals, Ference acknowledged there has been an uptick in turkey sales from retail stores; however, he said the increase isn’t as large as the loss from the restaurant industry and the deli counters, specifically.

Ference said those areas actually account for 65 per cent of the overall industry, while the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season makes up the other 35 per cent.

That’s why Ference and the Turkey Famers of Canada are hoping people will still buy turkeys for their festive dinners, even if the gatherings are smaller, to make up for the losses farmers have already experienced.

“We’re hoping that families, still within the restrictions, still celebrate Thanksgiving in smaller family cohorts or groups... and still celebrate with turkey,” he told CTV News for the streaming app Quibi.

The farmer added that there are plenty of different turkey options for Canadians planning a smaller holiday feast in accordance with public health guidance.

“That has been a trend for the last four to five years, the move to a smaller bird because with the millennials now cooking and smaller families than they used to be, the gatherings have got smaller so the industry has adjusted and we grow a lot of smaller or mid-sized birds now compared to the big giant birds for the gatherings,” he said.

While the pandemic means that those family gatherings might have to be even smaller, Ference said the industry has adapted to that development as well.

“There’s turkey breasts that are available, just like a chicken breast, that you can cook, roast, or barbecue,” he said. “I know there’s lots of stuffed roasts or netted roasts that are available to supply a smaller gathering.”

FOOD BANKS

Although turkey production is down this year, the Turkey Farmers of Canada said there might still be a surplus of birds this year if people don’t purchase as many during the holidays.

If that’s the case, some of those leftover turkeys might be headed to Canada’s food banks under the federal Surplus Food Rescue Program. The temporary program was launched as part of the government’s pandemic response and is intended to manage and redirect existing surpluses to organizations addressing food insecurity in an effort to avoid food waste. 

To date, the government has bought approximately 615 tonnes of turkey worth almost $3.8 million with most of it going to Food Banks Canada.

Ference said he think it’s a great way to make use of any surplus in the industry.

Neil Hetherington, the CEO of the Daily Bread Food Bank, agrees that the surplus program will provide much-needed relief at foods banks during the holiday season, an especially busy time for them.

The turkeys will be especially welcomed this year at the Daily Bread Food Bank where donations have dropped by 70 per cent. Hetherington said he hopes that will begin to change and Canadians will donate more during the holidays.

“People are sheltering in place and so they’re nervous about donating food,” he told CTV News for the streaming app Quibi.

“So in that case... we will set up a, essentially, a conga line of cars where families can drive up... so that individuals can safely make that food contribution so that we can have it sorted, get it out quickly, and efficiently to those who need it. So I’m optimistic.”