N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper poses with the newly pardoned Bertha, standing, and Ethel, the two Prestage Farms turkey hens earning a reprieve Monday, along with their caregivers, Prestage staff members Summer Lanier, left and Mary Kathryn Byrd. Lanier and Byrd were responsible for caring for the turkeys and working with them in advance of pardoning day and during the event.
Vanna Prestage, left, and Kate Prestage Poplin, representing both the Prestage family and Prestage Farms, with N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper prior to the pardoning event on the grounds of the N.C. Executive Mansion in Raleigh Monday.
Ethel and Bertha await their official pardon Monday under the watchful of their caretakers, Summer Lanier, standing, and Mary Kathryn Bryd, in front, sitting. Lanier and Byrd are service representatives in the Prestage Farms turkey division.
Children attending the pardon event were fascinated with the turkeys and how well they behaved during their time in the spotlight.
RALEIGH — Two Sampson County turkeys are probably breathing a sign of relief this morning following Monday’s pardon by Gov. Roy Cooper.
Ethel and Bertha, a pair of Prestage Farms turkey hens, were spared from the Thanksgiving table during the North Carolina Turkey Pardon ceremony at the Executive Mansion, a now Thanksgiving tradition that began in 2018 when Cooper hosted the initial N.C. gubernatorial pardon. The event has been held every year since then, including a virtual pardon due to Covid concerns in 2020. The pardon was halted in 2023 due to concerns about avian influenza, but returned this year.
Cooper was joined Monday by Vanna Prestage and Kate Prestage Poplin, representing Prestage Farms and the Prestage family, while Summer Lanier and Mary Kathryn Bryd, with the Prestage Turkey Division, were on hand to care for the birds and present them for pardoning.
Lanier and Bryd also worked with the turkeys in preparation for Monday’s pardon.
Others joining Cooper for the ceremony were NC Poultry Federation Executive Director Bob Ford, MANNA FoodBank CEO Claire Neal, as well as representatives of various ag and commodity groups, state lawmakers, various members of Cooper’s staff, and representatives of Manna Food Bank.
Coupled with the pardon, Prestage Farms and Prestage Foods (turkey plant in St Pauls) chose to partner with Manna Food Bank to support those in western NC impacted by Hurricane Helene. A donation of about 27,000 pounds of turkey (nearly 3,000 bone-in whole turkey breasts) has been made to Manna and will be distributed in their 16-county service area. Manna Food Bank, itself, was hurt by the storm with its headquarters and warehouse in Asheville destroyed by the floodwaters. All of their food and equipment was destroyed, but they rallied and are operating now out of new facility at River Mills.
This is the first year that Prestage Farms has provided the turkeys for pardon, but it’s not the first year the company has been involved. In the initial year, Prestage Farms joined Butterball and the Food Bank of Central and Eastern NC in Wilson to help distribute 400 turkeys to families with needs.
“On Thanksgiving, we take the time to appreciate all we have and thank those who have helped us. This year, we have witnessed the strength, resilience and kindness of our communities as we work to help those in western North Carolina,” Cooper said. “I am thankful for all those who have donated their time and support to western North Carolina, including Prestage Farms and their generous donation to MANNA FoodBank.”
Scott Prestage, vice president of Prestage Farms’ turkey division, said farmers were in the business of feeding the world, and supporting ones neighbors in a time of need, he stressed, was something Prestage felt strongly about doing.
“North Carolina has a strong and productive agricultural community that feeds people in this state and beyond,” Prestage said. “We are proud to be a member of that community, and today, we are grateful for this special opportunity to partner with Manna Food Bank and their strong network of organizations to provide turkey products to support our neighbors in western North Carolina.”
Neal thanked Cooper, the Prestage Family and Prestage Farms for its willingness to help in a time of great need.
“We are deeply grateful to Gov.Cooper, his staff, and Prestage Farms for their incredible generosity in making this gift possible for our neighbors in need across western North Carolina,” Neal asserted. “As we continue recovering from the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene, this donation of turkey breasts will ensure that thousands of families across the 16 counties we serve can share a holiday meal with their loved ones. Everyone deserves not only the essential food and resources they need but also the opportunity to experience the joy and togetherness of the holiday season. Thanks to this partnership, we can bring comfort and nourishment to our neighbors during a time when it’s needed most.”
Ethel and Bertha are 23-week-old hens and weigh 26 and 28 pounds, respectively. Following the ceremony, the turkeys were taken to Naylor Family Farm in Fuquay-Varina, where they will now spend their retirement.
While Monday was the first time Prestage Farms provided turkeys for the pardon, it is not the first time Sampson County has been involved in the ceremony. Butterball and its growers provided birds for the pardon from 2018-2022, with some of the pardoned turkeys coming from Sampson farms, including Pine Ridge Farm in 2018, Wellie Jackson’s Toy Farms in 2019 and Warren Farms in 2022.
Turkeys, said Bob Ford, executive director of the N.C. Poultry Federation, are a vital part of the state’s economy.
“North Carolina is ranked No. 2 in turkey production. It’s an integral part of the state economy, employing close to 11,000 people across the state and generating an additional 26,000 jobs in ancillary industries,” Ford pointed out.
“Thanksgiving is a special time of year when we give thanks and celebrate the bounty of all of North Carolina’s Agricultural commodities. We especially want to thank Gov. Cooper for his support and official pardon of this year’s official NC Thanksgiving turkey.”