Background on the Pardoning of the National Thanksgiving Turkey

WASHINGTON, DC – On Wednesday, November 25, President Obama will pardon the National Thanksgiving Turkey in a ceremony in the Rose Garden.  The President will celebrate the 68th anniversary of the National Thanksgiving Turkey presentation, reflect upon the time-honored traditions of Thanksgiving, and wish American families a warm, safe, and healthy holiday.

The President will pardon Abe and its alternate Honest, both 18-week old, 40-pound turkeys. The names of the turkeys were chosen from submissions from California school children.

After the pardoning, the turkeys will be on display for visitors at their permanent home at Morven Park’s “Turkey Hill,” the historic turkey farm located at the home of former Virginia Governor Westmoreland Davis (1918-1922) in Leesburg, Virginia. 

Both birds were raised in the Central Valley of California under the supervision of National Turkey Federation Chairman Dr. Jihad Douglas.

The National Turkey Federation will bring two turkeys from Jaindl Farms for the First Family to donate. These turkeys will be given to Capital Area Food Bank in Washington, DC.