Nov 7, 2017   SOURCE: PR NewsWire

Thanksgiving Day Help On-Line

MODESTO, Calif., Nov. 7, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Whether it be surfing the Web or dialing a toll-free phone number, California consumers will have plenty of help this holiday season in preparing the perfect Thanksgiving meal.

The California Poultry Federation (CPF) offers a convenient one-stop location on its website -- www.cpif.org -- for those consumers looking for timely tips on preparing the perfect holiday meal. CPF is the state's only trade association representing all segments of the poultry industry, including turkey production and marketing companies.

Consumers can find the perfect fresh turkey for roasting, meal preparation tips and tasty recipes on the websites of CPF members:

    --  Foster Farms - https://www.fosterfarms.com/turkey-tips/
    --  Zacky Farms - www.zacky.com
    --  Pitman Farms - Mary's Free Range Turkeys www.marysturkeys.com
    --  Willie Bird Turkeys - www.williebird.com
    --  Mrs. Cubbison's - dressing and recipes www.mrscubbisons.com
    --  Volk Enterprises - home of the Pop-Up Timer
        http://www.volkenterprises.com/consumer/

Also listed are the traditional toll-free hotlines for consumer questions and cooking tips:

    --  Foster Farms Foster Farms Helpline is available Monday through Friday
        between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. PST.  Consumers can call 1-800-255-7227
        with turkey questions.
    --  Zacky Farms Zacky Farms helpline is available Monday through Friday,
        8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., PST. Consumers can call 1-800-888-0235.
    --  USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline For food safety tips and more, call the
        USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-674-6854. The hotline is
        available year round Monday through Friday.

"The CPF website offers us the ability to provide 24-hour-a-day turkey preparation information to consumers," noted CPF President Bill Mattos. "With time being such a short commodity these days, we hope this site helps consumers access the information they need quickly and efficiently."

California turkey producers expect to sell approximately 15 million birds this year, with an estimated 40-45% of those sales coming during the holiday season, points out Mattos. Consumers looking for a fresh bird need to keep an eye out for the "fresh" label, advises Mattos, to make sure they are getting a truly fresh bird. "The vast majority of our turkey sales are of fresh product," explained Mattos. "California consumers have shown a preference for fresh and our advice is that consumers look for the fresh label to make sure they are getting a bird that has been kept at 26 degrees Fahrenheit or above. If the label doesn't say fresh, it's probably frozen."

Mattos cautions consumers that demand will be high this Thanksgiving and they should place their orders early. "As always, we urge California consumers to let their supermarket and/or grocer know that they want a fresh California turkey. Our fresh local birds are the first to sell, and California's producers and processors appreciate consumers who always help us sell out over the holiday season," says Mattos.

Annual per-capita turkey consumption in California is 19 pounds, compared to 16.5 pounds per-capita in the United States. Nationwide, nearly 250 million turkeys are expected to be sold this year. California ranks among the top 7 turkey-producing states.

(Editors note: Further information about California turkey production and supply for the holiday season is available by contacting Mattos at (209) 576-6355).

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SOURCE California Poultry Federation