It’s prime time for turkey, and Virginia farmers have been hard at work raising birds for Thanksgiving and other meals.Virginia turkey production is ranked 6th in the U.S., according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service. In 2021, the state’s turkey growers are expected to raise 14.5 million birds. This is down 9 percent from the 16 million raised in 2020, NASS reported in September. Nationally, NASS forecast the number of turkeys raised in 2021 will be down 4 percent from 2020.

“Virginia has not diminished as an important turkey-producing state,” said Hobey Bauhan, president of the Virginia Poultry Federation. He noted that the number of birds raised in Virginia fluctuates from year to year, but the state remains among the top 10 turkey-producing states.

He blamed supply chain issues and workforce challenges for the drop in turkey production this year. Since supplies may be tight this Thanksgiving season, Bauhan recommends that consumers plan ahead.

“Virginia is cr...