USDA Lowers Broiler, Raises Turkey Price Forecasts in August Poultry Outlook
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has released its August poultry meat price forecast for 2025 and 2026, offering key insights into how market trends and production shifts are expected to impact prices across the broiler and turkey sectors.
World Agricultural Outlook Board Chair Mark Jekanowski provided details on the adjustments made in this month’s forecast.
“Our broiler price forecast for 2025, we lowered by 2.8 cents per pound, now forecast at 131.2 cents per pound, just based on recent price data, incorporating that, and for next year we reduced our broiler price forecast by 1 cent per pound to 134.5 cents per pound, and the reduction this month is really just reflecting our higher production forecast, but still year over year, broiler price forecast would be up about 3.3 cents per pound.”
While broiler prices were adjusted downward slightly, the change is largely attributed to increased production expectations. Despite the reduction, broiler prices are still forecast to be higher than the previous year on a year-over-year basis, indicating ongoing demand strength.
On the turkey side of the poultry industry, prices are seeing a boost.
“Turkeys, we raised our price forecast for both 2025 and 2026, so for 2025 it’s now at 127.3 cents per pound, raised 8.8 cents per pound this month, and for next calendar year, price forecast for turkeys is at 131.3 cents per pound. We raised that 10 cents per pound this month, and that would be up 4 cents per pound year over year.”
This increase in turkey price forecasts reflects market corrections and possibly tighter supply conditions, suggesting firmer pricing ahead for turkey producers heading into the next two years.
With poultry continuing to play a central role in U.S. protein consumption, these updated projections are critical for producers, retailers, and commodity analysts as they plan ahead for 2025 and 2026.
Audio Reporting by Dale Sandlin for Southeast AgNet.