RALEIGH, N.C. — Fall isn’t a great time to be a turkey. In fact, 46 million turkeys get eaten each year at Thanksgiving, according to the National Turkey Federation.
But on Monday, two lucky birds from North Carolina will gain a reprieve.
It is part of what has become a tradition to "pardon" a Thanksgiving turkey at the White House.
This year’s birds come from Circle S Ranch in Monroe, N.C.
Ronnie Parker is the general manager of Circle S Ranch but is also the chairman of the National Turkey Federation.
“As chairman of the National Turkey Federation, I have the privilege of raising two turkeys and taking two candidates to Washington, D.C., and presenting them to the White House and the president,” Parker said.
He says it’s a great honor to go to the White House and be part of the tradition.
The turkeys have an exciting weekend ahead of them. They make the seven-hour trip to Washington from Monroe on Saturday.
“Once they get there, they will walk the red carpet and to their motel,” Parker said.“Once they get there, they will walk the red carpet and to their motel,” Parker said.
He says they have their own room, where they’ll rest until Sunday afternoon before having a media day with reporters in Washington, D.C.
Monday is the main event at the White House with President Joe Biden, where they will receive their official names.
Parker has been working in the turkey industry for 44 years, 26 of them at Circle S Ranch.
He says they’ve been working for five to six weeks to train the two turkeys to sit nicely on the table in front of the president for the ceremony.
After the turkeys are pardoned, they will live out their days helping educate others at N.C. State’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
