In a traditional moment of White House whimsy ahead of Thanksgiving, President Biden pardoned tom turkeys “Chocolate” and “Chip” on Monday. An outbreak of bird flu has driven up turkey prices and crimped supplies for the holiday season.
“Two years ago, we couldn’t even safely have Thanksgiving with large family gatherings. Now we can,” said Biden, urging Americans to get vaccinated against the flu and the coronavirus. “This winter can be much happier than recent holiday seasons, but you have to do your part.”
The president sprinkled humor, aided by interjections from the turkeys and his dog, Commander, into his remarks during the 10-minute pardoning on the White House lawn on a chilly and sunny morning. He began one sentence, “Before I gobble up too much time,” but was interrupted by barking and and turkey vocalizations. “I didn’t mean to get them started,” he said.
After assuring listeners, “There’s no ballot stuffing. There’s no fowl play,” Biden sent the birds into retirement at North Carolina State University. He stroked “Chocolate” on the back. “You are pardoned.” Ronnie Parker, chairman of the National Turkey Federation, raised the presidential turkeys in Monroe, North Carolina.
The poultry industry’s presentation of turkeys to the president dates from 1947 — 75 years ago — during the Truman administration. President Lincoln may have been the first to pardon a turkey from White House consumption, says the White House Historical Association. Reprieves were sporadic. Early in his tenure, President Reagan established the practice of sending the Thanksgiving turkey to a farm and “the formalities of pardoning a turkey gelled by 1989” under President George HW Bush, said the historical association.
Nearly 4 percent of the U.S. turkey flock, or 8.1 million birds, has died of highly pathogenic avian influenza or was culled to prevent spread of the viral disease since February, say USDA analysts. “The turkey industry has experienced more losses thus far in 2022 than in the whole 2015 outbreak,” said the analysts in the monthly Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook. Minnesota has the largest losses, 3.6 million turkeys.
In the 2014-15 outbreak, described as arguably the most significant animal disease event in U.S. history, approximately 7.4 million turkeys and 43 million egg-laying hens and pullets died. The turkey losses equaled 3 percent of the U.S. flock.
Bird flu losses this year, at 50.44 million birds according to USDA data, are on par with the 2014-15 outbreak, with new reports weekly. The USDA’s monthly Chicken and Eggs report, released on Monday, said egg production and the number of laying hens in October was 4 percent smaller than a year ago.
To watch a C-SPAN video of the pardoning, click here.