GEORGETOWN, Ky. (LEX 18) — With Thanksgiving less than two weeks away, turkey prices are squeezing holiday budgets across the country. But while some consumers search for ways to save, others are making splurging on premium birds part of their family tradition.

The American Farm Bureau Federation points to economic pressures and bird flu as key factors driving up costs. A Purdue University analysis found wholesale turkey prices are up about 75% from a year ago, with the university's model showing the average retail price of a turkey will be just over $2 per pound — 25% higher than last year. That means consumers will pay about $31 for a 15-pound bird.

At Elmood Stock Farm in Scott County, sixth-generation farmers are raising a breed of turkey that's barely domesticated but delivers a del

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