As Thanksgiving time comes around the corner, a new issue has emerged. According to farmers in Idaho, there are not enough turkeys this year. One of the farms in Idaho, Cabalo Orchard and Gardens, had originally begun the year with 600 birds; however, the bird flu emerged in their area, causing a loss of about 375 turkeys and leaving the inventory to roughly 225 now. The bird flu refers to the disease caused by infection with avian (bird) influenza Type A viruses. 

These viruses naturally spread among wild aquatic birds worldwide and can infect domestic poultry and other bird and animal species. With that being said, the workers did not want to take the turkeys outside in order to avoid exposure to the virus. This led to another problem. The turkeys were inside for an extra six to eight weeks,  causing them to huddle closely and create a pile. Consequently, many young turkeys were suffocated. 

Farms cannot afford this situation because the amount of turkeys is already half of what it usually is at this time of year. This is a major problem right now because many customers are starting to shop for their Thanksgiving dinner. People are being advised to get the turkeys as early as possible to avoid disappointment at the dinner table.