Governor Stein Pardons Turkeys in Annual Ceremony Highlighting North Carolina’s Poultry Industry
The annual Turkey Pardon Ceremony at the Governor’s Mansion in North Carolina witnessed Governor Josh Stein pardoning two turkeys, Lord and Lady Stanley. This event, organized by the North Carolina Poultry Federation, underscored the significance of the poultry industry in the state.
Art Lankford, who serves as the President of the North Carolina Poultry Federation’s Board and Vice President of Operations for Butterball LLC, was present at the ceremony. The turkeys were supplied by Circle S Ranch of Union County, while Butterball LLC made a substantial donation of 500 whole turkeys to the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina.
Governor Stein expressed his gratitude, stating, “As I travel the state and meet North Carolinians from all walks of life, I find new reasons to be grateful for the people who make this state great – from the educators who prepare our future leaders and the farmers who keep us fed to the health care workers, servicemembers, and law enforcement officers who keep us safer and healthier.” He lauded the contribution of Butterball, emphasizing its impact on the community.
Art Lankford highlighted the importance of the event, noting, “The North Carolina Poultry Federation is proud to sponsor the annual gubernatorial turkey pardon, a tradition that celebrates one of North Carolina’s leading industries, and grateful for the opportunity to give back.” He shared that the poultry industry contributes $44.9 billion annually to the economy and supports over 140,000 jobs statewide. Lankford expressed pride in donating turkeys to support families during the holiday season.
Amy Beros, president and CEO of the Food Bank, commented on the donation’s impact, “This generous donation will help make the holidays a little brighter for families throughout our region.” She emphasized the importance of such partnerships, especially in times of economic strain, and conveyed gratitude to Butterball and Governor Stein for their ongoing support.
The pardoned turkeys, Lord Stanley of Gobblesworth, a 45-pound Tom, and Lady Stanley of Gobblesworth, a 30-pound Hen, both 20 weeks old, will spend their post-pardoning days with the Harrells Christian Academy FFA Chapter in Sampson County. The event also featured pumpkins donated by Cinderella Farms of Duplin County.
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