Current Events in November 2021

A bipartisan group of state attorneys general has announced an investigation into potentially harmful effects that the social media platform Instagram has on teenagers. It follows September’s leak of internal documents that allegedly showed that Meta Platforms, the company formerly known as Facebook, was aware of the potential harm.

The documents, leaked by a former Facebook employee, consisted of internal research that showed the company was aware that many teenage girls using Instagram are prone to negative body image. It suggests that the constant access to photos of fashion and fitness influencers' bodies is damaging to teens' self-esteem.

Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey is leading the probe to determine whether the company violated state consumer protection laws and put the public at risk.

“Facebook, now Meta, has failed to protect young people on its platforms and instead chose to ignore or, in some cases, double down on known manipulations that pose a real threat to physical and mental health – exploiting children in the interest of profit,” Healy said. 

“When social media platforms treat our children as mere commodities to manipulate for longer screen time engagement and data extraction, it becomes imperative for state attorneys general to engage our investigative authority under our consumer protection laws,” said Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson.

‘Misunderstanding’ of social media platforms

In a statement to the media, Meta Platforms said the investigation is a result of a “misunderstanding” of social media platforms in general and the issues that affect all companies operating in the social media space.

Peterson and Healy say the investigation will focus on several aspects of Instagram’s business model, including the techniques utilized by Meta to increase the frequency and duration of engagement by young users and the resulting possible harms caused by such extended engagement. 

The attorneys general cited the leaked internal documents, suggesting that the research reveals that extended engagement on Instagram is associated with increased risks of negative physical and mental health effects on young people, including depression, eating disorders, and even suicide.

Healy said she has been concerned about the overuse of social media for some time. In May, she was part of a bipartisan coalition of 44 attorneys general that urged Facebook to drop its plans to launch a version of Instagram for children under the age of 13. 

Besides Massachusetts and Nebraska, some of the states taking part in the new investigations include California, Florida, Kentucky, New Jersey, Tennessee, and Vermont.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) wants to see if it can take a larger bite out of corporate crime. The agency announced Friday that it will expand its criminal referral program and intensify its commitment towards combating misconduct it uncovers in its antitrust and consumer protection investigations.

The FTC says the new program should also allow it to speed up the process of enforcing those efforts, giving local, state, federal, and international agencies the wherewithal to bring criminals to justice sooner.

“At a time when major corporate lawbreakers can treat civil fines as a cost of doing business, government authorities must ensure that criminal conduct is followed by criminal punishment,” FTC Chair Lina M. Khan said in an announcement.

What consumers can expect from the new program

Some of the consumer protection misconduct and antitrust violations the agency wants to hone in on include price-fixing and market allocation deals. Stopping bid-rigging dead in its tracks -- like Pilgrim’s Pride was accused of last year -- is also high on the FTC’s list.

The agency will also be looking to ensure that lower-priced generic drugs are given a fair chance of making it to market. In one notable example, the agency charged Reckitt Benckiser Group and Indivior of using a deceptive scheme to impede lower-priced generic competition to their branded opioid addiction treatment, suboxone. The case ultimately resulted in a $1.4 billion settlement with Reckitt, guilty pleas from former Indivior executives and an Indivior subsidiary, and a civil settlement with Indivior.

The agency’s new policy allows it to use several methods to improve its cooperation with its law enforcement partners. Some of those include:

• Publicly reporting on criminal referral efforts on a regular basis to help reinforce the public’s understanding of how important the agency’s work is, and also to highlight the criminal prosecutions it’s taken on;

• Creating guidelines to ensure criminal law violations — particularly by major corporations and their executives — are identified by staff and promptly referred to criminal law enforcement agencies; and

• Holding regular meetings with federal, state, and local criminal authorities to facilitate the coordination that will enable the appropriate law enforcement partners to take up cases referred by the FTC and develop best practices to enhance this coordination.

“Today the FTC is redoubling its commitment and improving its processes to expeditiously refer criminal behavior to criminal authorities, promoting accountability and deterrence,” Khan said.

A new study conducted by researchers from Tianjin Medical University explored some of the health benefits associated with moderate consumption of coffee and tea. According to their findings, having a few cups of coffee and tea per day may lower the risk of dementia and stroke. 

“Our findings suggest that moderate consumption of coffee and tea separately or in combination were associated with lower risk of stroke and dementia,” the researchers wrote. 

Cognitive benefits of coffee and tea

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from more than 365,000 participants enrolled in the U.K. Biobank. The participants self-reported on their coffee and tea consumption, and the researchers tracked their health outcomes for at least 10 years. 

These findings highlight some good news for consumers who are frequent tea and coffee drinkers. Having at least two cups of coffee or three cups of tea, or a combination of both drinks, was associated with the most protective health benefits for the study participants. 

Overall, drinking two to three cups of coffee and two to three cups of tea on a daily basis was associated with a more than 30% lower risk of stroke and a nearly 30% lower risk of dementia. Coffee was found to have the greatest health benefits; drinking just coffee or coffee and tea helped lower the risk of post-stroke dementia. 

The researchers hypothesize that the antioxidants and other bioactive compounds found in coffee and tea could be responsible for this positive relationship with consumers’ cognitive health. Moving forward, the team hopes these findings can be beneficial in identifying more ways to prevent significant health risks and cognitive decline. 

“Despite advances in understanding the pathophysiology of stroke and dementia, clinical treatment of stroke and dementia continues to be suboptimal,” the researchers wrote. “Therefore, identifying the preventable risk factors for stroke and dementia is of high priority. 

“From a public health perspective, because regular tea and coffee drinkers comprise such a large proportion of the population and because these beverages tend to be consumed habitually through adult life, even small potential health benefits or risks associated with tea and coffee intake may have important public health implications.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from University College London explored how childhood cancer may affect consumers’ health into adulthood. According to their findings, cancer survivors have a higher risk of developing serious health concerns later in life, including cardiovascular conditions, immune system disorders, and other types of cancer. 

“Our study is the first to fully map out how surviving cancer early in life affects our health as we grow older,” said researcher Dr. Alvina Lai. “We believe it’s important for these long-term effects to be considered early on by families and their health care teams, so the benefits of a therapy can be weighed against any long-term risk. Awareness of these long-term issues is also important for survivors, who are better able to spot symptoms early.” 

Understanding the long-term health risks

For the study, the researchers analyzed the health records of over 3,400 people who had been diagnosed with cancer in England before the age of 25 and had survived at least five years post-diagnosis. They compared those results with over 13,000 people who had no history of the illness while paying close attention to the number of doctors’ visits and common medical conditions. 

The study showed that participants who had survived childhood cancer had overall poorer health outcomes than those who hadn’t been diagnosed with the disease. Cancer survivors were more likely to spend time in the hospital and have more visits with their general practitioners than non-cancer survivors. 

Additionally, when cancer survivors developed serious medical conditions later in life, it significantly affected their mortality. For example, immune system disorders or infections were associated with losing nearly seven more years of life among survivors when compared to those with no history of cancer. Similarly, developing heart disease or other cancers was linked with losing more than a decade of life. 

Different cancer treatments play a role in health outcomes

The researchers also learned that different types of cancer treatments affected the body differently down the road. Patients who received radiation and chemotherapy had more health risks, including a higher risk of developing cancer again, than those who had surgery. 

This also translated to more doctor and hospital visits. The study found that participants who received chemotherapy and radiation to treat their cancer had up to seven times more general practitioner visits related to heart diseases and twice as many hospitalizations for the same condition. 

“Combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy is effective at saving lives but is associated with a lower quality of life in the long term,” said researcher Wai Hoong. “Our study suggests using lower doses could reduce these long-term effects.” 

Moving forward, the researchers hope these findings spur future research projects that take into account the long-term health effects of cancer treatments. 

“Over 80% of children and young people diagnosed with cancer survive, but they face unique health care needs because of late effects brought on by cancer or its treatment,” said Dr. Lai. “We hope that further research can investigate how to minimize the long-term effects of cancer therapies.” 

There’s plenty of pain at the gas pump, but at least it isn’t getting any worse. Prices have remained stable for another week.

AAA reports the national average price of regular gas is $3.41 a gallon, the same as last Friday. It’s only nine cents a gallon more than a month ago. The average price of premium gas is $4.03 a gallon, in line with last week’s price. The average price of diesel fuel is $3.64, the same as a week ago.

The Biden administration this week asked the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate whether the oil industry has engaged in price manipulation. But industry analysts point out that demand has increased faster than supplies of fuel and U.S. producers are still in the process of ramping up production after a pandemic-induced slowdown.

Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, reports that gasoline demand at the beginning of the week was at its highest level since the week of August 22.

Prices at the pump were mostly stable across the country this week, though there were exceptions. Motorists in Arizona saw prices rise an average of eight cents a gallon. In California, where prices are at a record high, the average price rose five cents a gallon this week.

Some states saw prices go down. Oklahoma maintained its status as the state with the cheapest gas, with a drop of four cents a gallon. Prices in Texas also went down by four cents this week.

States with the most expensive gas

These states currently have the highest prices for regular gas, according to AAA:

• California ($4.69)   

• Hawaii ($4.35)  

• Nevada ($3.98) 

• Washington ($3.87) 

• Oregon ($3.79) 

• Alaska ($3.72) 

• Arizona ($3.72)  

• Utah ($3.70)

• Idaho ($3.69)

• Pennsylvania ($3.60)

States with the cheapest gas

AAA reports that these states currently have the lowest prices for regular gas:

• Oklahoma ($2.99) 

• Texas ($3.03)  

• Mississippi ($3.07)

• Arkansas ($3.08)   

• Missouri ($3.08) 

• Kansas ($3.09)

• Kentucky ($3.09)

•  South Carolina ($3.12)  

• Wisconsin ($3.13)

• Tennessee ($3.13) 

Daimler Vans USA (DVUSA) is recalling 38 model year 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinters.

A cable duct may drop out of place due to unlatched engagement hooks inside the battery case. This may cause the starter-generator wiring harness to chafe against the transmission carrier, which could result in an electrical short circuit.

An electrical short can increase the risk of a fire.

What to do

Dealers will replace the engagement hooks on the affected cable duct with expanding rivets free of charge.

Owners may contact DVUSA's customer service at (877) 762-8267. DVUSA's number for this recall is VS3KABKAN.

Ford Motor Company is recalling 777 model year 2022 Super Duty F-250s, F-350s, and model year 2021 F-150s, Expeditions, and Lincoln Navigators.

The front-door side impact pressure sensor modules may have been damaged during supplier assembly, which can cause the side impact airbags to not deploy properly in a crash.

An airbag that does not deploy properly in a crash increases the risk of injury.

What to do

Dealers will replace the driver and passenger front door side impact sensors free of charge.

Owners may contact Ford customer service at (866) 436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21C26.

A traditional Thanksgiving dinner will cost quite a bit more than last year, according to a survey by the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF). 

As we reported this week, the price of turkeys has risen because of supply and demand issues. But the federation’s survey shows that the cost of the entire meal is up 14% over 2020, more than twice October’s inflation rate.

Farm Bureau "volunteer shoppers" visited grocery stores and checked prices Oct. 26 to Nov. 8, about two weeks before most grocery store chains began featuring whole frozen turkeys at sharply lower prices. 

They found that a frozen turkey costs more than last year, at $23.99 for a 16-pound bird. That's roughly $1.50 per pound, up 24% from last year. The survey did find that many supermarket chains put frozen turkeys on sale closer to the holiday. Consumers who shopped during the week of Nov. 5-11 paid only 14% more for a bird.

Side dishes also cost more

Other parts of the typical Thanksgiving spread will also cost more in 2021. Prices of sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a veggie tray, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, coffee, and milk are all higher to some degree this year.

For example, the cost of pie crusts has risen 20% and dinner rolls are up 15%, at $3.05 for a dozen. The price of stuffing is the only item that costs less than last year, falling 19%.

The survey found that removing turkey from the meal reduced the cost increase to less than 7%. The average price of a typical Thanksgiving dinner was calculated using 2018 surveys with pricing data from all 50 states and Puerto Rico.

"Several factors contributed to the increase in average cost of this year's Thanksgiving dinner," said AFBF Senior Economist Veronica Nigh. "These include dramatic disruptions to the U.S. economy and supply chains over the last 20 months; inflationary pressure throughout the economy; difficulty in predicting demand during the COVID-19 pandemic and high global demand for food, particularly meat." 

Changes in consumer behavior may also contribute to a more costly Thanksgiving meal this year. During the pandemic, people dined at restaurants less and ate meals at home more than in years past. Nigh says that behavior put pressure on supermarkets, leading to prices that are higher than they were before the pandemic.

America’s merchants may not like hearing this with Black Friday approaching next week, but for millions of Americans, holiday shopping is about as pleasant as a root canal.

That startling finding is part of TD Bank’s 2021 Merry Money Survey, which showed that for more than half of Americans -- 52% -- holiday shopping is painful. And yes, 33% of that group actually equated the pain of holiday shopping to an unpleasant dental procedure.

This year’s survey also suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a long-lasting effect on consumers’ holiday shopping habits. After the economic uncertainty of 2020, 73% of those in the survey are creating a holiday budget, up from 68% in 2018. At the same time, 66% of consumers said holiday spending makes them “anxious.”

Pandemic’s positive impact

On a more positive note, the effects of the pandemic appear to have made people more reflective about the holidays. The survey shows that 84% of Americans valued last year’s holiday celebrations because they were more about the time spent with loved ones versus spending money on gifts.

Now that millions of people are vaccinated, there will likely be more in-person holiday events in 2021, making some long for the “good old days” of 2020, when the virus provided an excuse to stay home. Fifty-six percent of respondents said they liked being able to avoid holiday parties and awkward family events.

While consumers may not be enthusiastic about shopping for extended family members, they are showing no such hesitation about buying for their pets. Sixty-three percent of consumers in the survey said they plan to buy gifts for their pets this year, including 76% of millennials. Fourteen percent of millennials said they plan to spend more than $100 on each of their pets.

‘Set your limits’

While some consumers may enjoy more holiday cheer in 2021, there are still many others who feel weighed down by the effects of the pandemic. Matt Boss, head of Consumer Products at TD Bank, says rising prices and holiday commitments are factors to consider this year. 

"Holiday shopping, travel, hosting, and celebrations all have costs associated – and due to supply chain issues, we're seeing cost increases that will make joining in even more of a challenge for some,” Boss stated.

According to the survey, 69% of consumers said say they have overspent during the holidays in the past, a possible reason for holiday anxiety. Boss says keeping things simple and low-key -- much like last year -- may make for happier holidays.

“Set your limits – whether financial or personal – and stick to them," Boss said.

In a dramatic turn of events, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has decided to suspend enforcement of President Biden’s vaccine mandate for large employers.

Although the agency originally developed the rule, it was left with little option after a federal appeals court upheld a stay on the mandate and told OSHA to "take no steps to implement or enforce" the Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) "until further court order." The new policy was scheduled to go into effect on Jan. 4, 2022. 

The ever-changing situation with the mandate will no doubt create confusion for both employers and an estimated 84 million employees it would impact. But the status of the ETS could change in a heartbeat if the White House or the Department of Justice (DOJ) gets involved. According to The Hill’s coverage of the reversal, more than two dozen state attorneys general and other groups are also challenging the mandate in court.

OSHA remains confident 

OSHA stated that it “remains confident in its authority to protect workers in emergencies.” However, it has suspended all activities related to the implementation and enforcement of the ETS effective immediately. When it initially announced the policy, OSHA estimated that the rule would save thousands of lives and prevent more than 250,000 hospitalizations stemming from workplace exposure to COVID-19. 

Despite the setback, the White House isn’t giving up on the proposed rule. Officials say they will continue trying to persuade businesses to implement vaccination requirements. In a press conference aboard Air Force One, White House Deputy Press Secretary Chris Meagher said the DOJ is rigorously defending the vaccine mandate in court.

“We’re confident in the congressionally provided authority to protect workers who are considered to be in grave danger,” Meagher commented. “Our message remains the same: that nothing is stopping businesses from taking action to protect their employees. And so, we encourage businesses to step up and continue to take that action.”

Reports are circulating that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will likely authorize booster doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for all adults ahead of a scheduled Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advisory panel meeting on Friday. 

Quoting people familiar with the FDA’s plans, the New York Times reports that the move could come Thursday. If it does, the impact would be wide-ranging, expanding the number of eligible Americans by tens of millions.

If the CDC gives its approval, then people wanting the Pfizer booster could possibly get theirs as early as this weekend.

Pfizer may be the first in line to make this request, but it won’t be the last. It’s anticipated that Moderna will also submit a request for the FDA to expand eligibility for its booster. The approval to mix and match vaccines had already been given clearance by both the CDC and the FDA for all three sanctioned boosters that are offered by Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson. 

States are getting behind the booster shot campaign

On a federal level, the U.S. government is limiting who can receive a COVID-19 booster shot. However, there are a number of states that are taking matters into their own hands and trying to prevent a spike in cases before the holidays by offering boosters to anyone aged 18 or older. 

It was California that made the first move, firing off a letter to local health officials and vaccine providers to direct them to let patients decide whether or not a booster is appropriate.

“Do not turn a patient away who is requesting a booster” if the person is 18 or older and has waited the required period after their first vaccine series, the letter said.

Officials in New York City, Colorado, New Mexico, Arkansas, Kansas, Maine, Rhode Island, Louisiana, and West Virginia quickly followed with their own booster endorsements, and more cities and states are likely to follow. Reading between the lines of a news conference given by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, the Garden State is probably next. 

“If you’re in doubt and you meet the waiting period, just get a booster. Choose the side of greater protection,” Murphy said. “With the holidays coming up, we need as many people boosted as possible. It’s that simple.”

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Eastern Finland explored potential risk factors for cardiovascular disease in young adulthood. Their study showed that adolescents with arterial stiffness were more likely to develop hypertension and obesity by the time they reached young adulthood. 

For the study, the researchers tracked more than 3,800 17 year-olds enrolled in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children for seven years. They measured the participants’ arterial stiffness at the start of the study and then tracked their health outcomes over nearly a decade. 

The researchers learned that arterial stiffness at the start of the study was linked with a higher risk of high blood pressure and obesity seven years later. Diastolic blood pressure doubled as a result of arterial stiffness, while systolic blood pressure went up by 20% over the course of the study. Arterial stiffness was also linked with a 20% increase in overall obesity by the time the participants were 24.  

Measuring arterial stiffness could help predict health problems

The study also showed that higher arterial stiffness was linked to poorer health outcomes among participants. Compared to those with high arterial stiffness, those with mild artery stiffness experienced half as big of a change to their blood pressure. 

While diet and exercise remain important components of long-term heart health, the researchers also hope these findings emphasize the benefits associated with monitoring children’s arterial stiffness. 

“...Our novel findings are significant clinically and for population health, in that future hypertension and obesity prevention and treatment strategies may now consider reducing arterial stiffness, particularly from adolescence,” said researcher Andrew Agbaje. 

While previous studies have highlighted the ways that regular exercise can help reduce chronic inflammation, a new study conducted by researchers from the University of Nottingham may explain exactly why this happens. 

Their work showed that the body produces endocannabinoids after exercise that help reduce inflammation. They say the substance is similar to cannabis and can help reduce symptoms of conditions like arthritis. 

“Our study clearly shows that exercise increases the body’s own cannabis-type substances,” said researcher Dr. Amrita Vijay. “Which can have a positive impact on many conditions.” 

Improving health conditions with exercise

For the study, the researchers had nearly 80 people with arthritis participate in a six-week exercise program. Half of the group did muscle-strengthening exercises for 15 minutes per day; the other half of the group didn’t exercise. 

The researchers learned that the participants who were consistently exercising for six weeks had better health outcomes than those who weren’t exercising. 

The researchers noticed that those who exercised produced more endocannabinoids and had fewer inflammatory markers throughout their bodies. Participants who exercised also reported feeling less pain overall. 

The researchers hope these findings can help consumers who are struggling with conditions that are known to increase inflammation, including heart disease, cancer, and arthritis. 

“As interest in cannabinoid oil and other supplements increases, it is important to know that simple lifestyle interventions like exercise can modulate endocannabinoids,” Dr. Vijay said. 

Ford Motor Company is recalling 1,036 model year 2021 Bronco Sport vehicles.

The moonroof glass may not have been bonded correctly to the moonroof frame, which could result in the glass panel detaching from the vehicle.

A detached glass panel can become a road hazard and increase the risk of a crash or injury.

What to do

Dealers will inspect the moonroof glass date code and replace the glass -- if necessary -- free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on November 29, 2021.

Owners may contact Ford customer service at (866) 436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S46.

Innovative Solutions of Kent, Wash., is recalling approximately 97,887 pounds of raw ground chicken patties.

The products may be contaminated with pieces of bone. There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions.

The following products, produced from August 16, 2021, through September 29, 2021, are being recalled:

• 1-lb. cardboard packages containing four pieces of “TRADER JOE’S CHILE LIME CHICKEN BURGERS” with lot codes 2281, 2291, 2311, 2351, 2361, 2371, 2441, 2511, 2521, 2531, 2561, 2591, 2601, 2671, or 2721 represented on the label.
• 9-lb. bulk-pack boxes containing 72 pieces of “SPINACH FETA CHICKEN SLIDERS” with lot codes 2361 or 2631 represented on the label.

The recalled products, bearing the establishment number “EST. P-8276” printed near the USDA mark of inspection, were shipped to retail locations nationwide.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled products should not consume them. Instead, they should discard or return them to the place of purchase.

Consumers with questions may contact Innovative Solutions at (206) 365-7200 or by email at frank@innovativesolutionsinc.us.

The Biden administration has decided to get tough on gas prices. The White House thinks that current prices are unacceptable and has asked the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate the situation.

"The Federal Trade Commission has authority to consider whether illegal conduct is costing families at the pump. I believe you should do so immediately," Biden wrote in a letter to FTC Chairwoman Lina Khan. 

"Prices at the pump have continued to rise, even as refined fuel costs go down and industry profits go up," he said. "In the last month, the price of unfinished gasoline is down more than 5 percent while gas prices at the pump are up 3 percent in that same period. This unexplained large gap between the price of unfinished gasoline and the average price at the pump is well above the pre-pandemic average."

Biden won’t likely settle for less than a complete deep dive from the FTC to find out if something illegal is happening in the marketplace.

"I do not accept hard-working Americans paying more for gas because of anti-competitive or otherwise potentially illegal conduct," Biden said in his letter. "I therefore ask that the Commission further examine what is happening with oil and gas markets, and that you bring all of the Commission's tools to bear if you uncover any wrongdoing."

Americans have to decide to drive or stay at home for Thanksgiving

With the pandemic situation having changed since last year, Thanksgiving 2021 is looking to be completely different from 2020. Many Americans seem to have their heart set on going somewhere to celebrate. 

Unfortunately, rising gas prices have increased the cost of driving substantially. Will consumers be willing to pay more at the pump, or will they ultimately decide to stay home and save the money?

In a new survey from Cars.com, 84% of the respondents who said they’re traveling for Thanksgiving stated that they’ll be driving. However, some are starting to rethink the situation because of the rise in gas prices. Among those surveyed, 50% said gas prices have some impact on their travel plans, and 12% said they won’t drive if gas prices get any higher.

If you go in for traditional Thanksgiving dinners, with turkey and all the trimmings, next week’s holiday may pose something of a challenge. Turkeys cost more, and there may be fewer of them at your neighborhood supermarket.

While supply chain issues may be partly to blame, there are also other factors at work. David Anderson, a livestock economist at Texas A&M, says U.S. turkey production was down 5% this year when compared to 2020. He said producers reduced flocks because the cost of both labor and feed have gone up.

Demand is also likely to be greater this year. In 2020, with COVID-19 raging and no vaccines available, there were fewer family gatherings. Many families are planning to make up for that this year.

Turkey prices spike ahead of Thanksgiving

With fewer turkeys, increased demand, and higher transportation costs, economists say consumers can expect to pay more than usual for a holiday bird if they can find one to their liking.

Turkey prices the week before Thanksgiving range from about $1.50 to $2.30 a pound, according to Gregory Martin, a poultry educator with the Penn State Extension Department. He tells Lancaster Farming, an agriculture website in Pennsylvania, that much of the increased cost is due to shipping difficulties. 

While producers raised fewer turkeys this year, Martin says he doesn’t foresee a turkey shortage. However, with tighter than normal supplies, he says shoppers may have to compromise.

“There might be fewer turkeys, so you may have to take what’s there,” Martin said. “There’s going to be birds, but with this panic buying, it may not be the right size you’re looking for.”

Smaller birds are harder to come by

In particular, small birds may be harder to come by this year. Industry experts say large turkeys, those that 16 pounds or more, may be the most plentiful.

Meanwhile, chefs point out that there are many perfectly acceptable turkey alternatives. One of the most obvious ones is plant-based turkey, which has grown in popularity in recent years. According to Forbes, an estimated 4.5 million plant-based turkeys will grace Thanksgiving tables this year.

Some chefs suggest taking a break from turkey this year since there appears to be plenty of other holiday meats to choose from, including ham, pork, and beef. They say cornish game hens, served with an abundance of vegetables and casseroles, also make a nice holiday spread.