Six states are the top producers of turkeys: Minnesota at 46 million, North Carolina at 36 million, Arkansas at 29 million, Missouri at 17.5 million, Virginia at 17 million and Indiana at 16.5 million. This accounts for nearly two-thirds of turkeys produced in the United States as of September 2012.

The average wholesale price for frozen whole turkey during fourth-quarter 2012 is projected to range from $1.10 to $1.14 per pound — similar to the 2011 fourth-quarter average price of $1.11 per pound. The average retail price for whole frozen turkeys in September 2012 was $1.62, about 6 cents lower than the average retail price for whole frozen turkeys in September 2011. Find out more on current coverage of the poultry production and value report from the USDA.

Source: National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

According to a recent Ponemon Institute study, 44 percent of consumers who were notified about a data breach believed the breached company was hiding something. When data breaches occur, it is extremely important to be there for customers and to address their concerns. When companies hide a data breach, impacted consumers begin to suspect the breach is actually much worse than the company claims, and trust in the organization begins to wane.

Find out more by downloading the data breach case study of lessons learned from the field.

Source: Whitepaper on 2012 Ponemon Notification Study.

Consumers want to hear about data breaches – Eighty five percent of respondents in a recent study say learning about the loss of their data is pertinent to them. However, when they do, 72 percent indicated that they are dissatisfied with the notification letters they receive.

Companies need to take note of these findings because more than one-third of consumers who receive a notification letter contemplate ending their relationship with the company. Providing affected individuals with a membership in an identity protection product is extremely important since 58 percent of consumers consider identity protection to be favorable compensation after a breach.

Learn five pitfalls to avoid in your notification letters and how Experian Data Breach Resolution can help.

Source: Download the complete 2012 consumer study on data breach notification.

2011 was the 12th consecutive year that identity theft topped the list of FTC consumer complaints. Florida had the highest rate of complaints, followed by Georgia and California.

Learn how to detect and manage fraud activity while meeting regulatory requirements.

Source: Consumer info.com infographic and FTC’s Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book for January-December 2011.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) now has the ability to write and enforce 18 consumer protection laws that guide financial products and services. The new regulator has signaled the following issues as priorities:

• Clarity on how credit scores affect lender decisions: Beginning July 21, 2011, lenders were required to disclose the credit score that they used in all risk-based pricing notices and adverse action notices
• Shorter and simpler consumer disclosure forms: One of the first priorities is to make the terms and conditions associated with purchasing a mortgage or applying for a credit card shorter and clearer
• Enforcing the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act: The CFPB will enforce the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and review current debt collector practices

Learn more about the CFPB