Pardoned Turkeys

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Reagan presidency 1984: "Robust and Juicy" (R.J.), a 53-pound turkey grown by John Hendricks of Shelby, North Carolina. 1987: "Charlie", the first "pardoned" turkey, was sent to a petting zoo in 1987. 1988: "Woody", a National Turkey Federation turkey raised in Story City, Iowa

Clinton presidency 1993: An unnamed turkey provided by Jennie-O in Willmar, Minnesota. 1994: Tom, a 50-pound (23 kg) turkey from Harrisonburg, Virginia. 1996: Carl, a 35-pound (16 kg) turkey. 1997: An unnamed 60-pound (27 kg) turkey from Raeford, North Carolina. 1998: An unnamed 45-pound (20 kg) turkey. 1999: "Harry the Turkey". 2000: "Jerry the Turkey", a 45-pound (20 kg) bird from Barron, Wisconsin. The pardoned turkey (the eighth in Clinton's presidency) and its unnamed alternate were both sent to Kidwell Farm's petting zoo in Herndon, Virginia.

George W. Bush presidency 2001: Liberty and his back-up Freedom, so named in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. They weighed 48 and 52 pounds (22 and 24 kg), respectively. 2002: Katie, the first-ever female turkey pardoned. The 30-pound (14 kg) bird bred by Ron Prestage, chairman of the National Turkey Federation, as well as alternate bird Zack. The turkeys were named after Prestage's children. 2003: Stars and backup Stripes. 2004: Biscuits and backup Gravy. 2005: Marshmallow and alternate bird Yam, raised in Henning, Minnesota. Beginning in 2005 pardoned birds were sent to Disneyland to live and serve as the "honorary grand marshal" of that year's Thanksgiving's Day parade, following concerns raised by animal rights groups that the birds had not survived for long. For the previous 15 years they had been sent to Frying Pan Farm Park near Herndon, Virginia. Names were generally chosen in online votes taken at the White House website. 2006: Flyer and alternate bird Fryer, raised in Missouri. 2007: 45-pound (20 kg) May and backup Flower, raised in Indiana. 2008: 45-pound (20 kg) backup "vice" turkey named Pumpkin, after the number one turkey Pecan fell ill the night before the ceremony. Both turkeys were allowed to live. 2009: Courage, a 45-pound turkey provided by the National Turkey Federation, and alternate bird Carolina, raised in North Carolina. Passing away in 2016, Courage lived to be over 6 years of age, an unusual feat for any turkey but especially commercial breeds. A spokesperson for Disneyland, where Courage was sent to spend his remaining years, credits his long life to changing the bird's diet from the typical soy- and corn-heavy feed of commercial farms to a more balanced natural diet, allowing him to lose much of the excess weight that causes strain to both the limbs and organs of these birds. 2010: Apple, a 45-pound turkey from Foster Farms in Modesto, California; and alternate bird Cider. Both had died of natural causes by Thanksgiving 2011. 2011: A 45-pound turkey named Liberty and an alternate bird named Peace, both of which were raised in Willmar, Minnesota. Peace survived until shortly before Thanksgiving 2012, when he was euthanized. Liberty survived until being euthanized April 26, 2013 at the age of 2. 2012: Cobbler and Gobbler, both 40-pound (18 kg) turkeys from Rockingham County, Virginia. Gobbler died suddenly in February 2013; Cobbler was euthanized on August 22 of that year. 2013: Popcorn, a 38-pound (17 kg) turkey from Badger, Minnesota. Popcorn won an online contest over its identically sized stablemate Caramel, which was also spared. Popcorn died of heatstroke in summer 2014. Caramel survived much longer; it outlived one of the next year's turkeys and did not die until October 2015, spending most of its two years of life at Morven Park as the companion of a brown heritage turkey named Franklin. 2014: Cheese and alternate bird Mac, both of which were 48-pound (22 kg) turkeys from Fort Recovery, Ohio. Mac died of suspected heatstroke in July 2015; Cheese remained alive as of November 2015, with the surviving Franklin as its companion. Cheese was implied dead some time before November 2017, as the Morven Park website mentioned only housing the 2015 turkeys by that time. 2015: Abe, a 43 pounds (20 kg) turkey again presented by Foster Farms. The alternate was 42 pounds (19 kg) Honest. Morven Park reported that both were still alive as of November 2016 and were still listed as alive on Morven Park's Web site in November 2017. In 2018, Morven Park's website mentioned the final departure of the 2015 pardoned turkeys happening in December 2017; by January 2019, they had removed all mention of them on their Turkey Hill Farm page. 2016: Tater and Tot, 40-pound and 39½-pound (18 kg respectively) turkeys from Storm Lake, Iowa. Both were reported as still alive and healthy but showing signs of old age as of November 2017. The birds died some time before November 2018;[62] Tater was later revealed to have been euthanized for a leg problem at age 2+1⁄2.

Trump presidency 2017: Drumstick, a 36-pound (16 kg) turkey, who was chosen over alternate Wishbone, a 47-pound (21 kg) turkey; both were from Alexandria, Minnesota. There are conflicting reports regarding the fate of the turkeys: Fox News claimed both turkeys were still alive and living a "lavish life" as of November 2018, while The Guardian claimed that both were dead. CNN confirmed that both had died by November 2019. Two pre-slaughtered turkeys from Orefield, Pennsylvania were also presented, with those turkeys being donated to Martha's Table. 2018: Peas, a 39-pound (18 kg) turkey with a height of 30", chosen over Carrots, a 41-pound (19 kg) turkey with a height of 32", both from Huron, South Dakota were pardoned in 2018. Both were hatched on June 28, 2018. Both Peas and Carrots were still alive in November 2020. 2019: Butter, a 47-pound (21 kg) turkey with a height of 31", chosen over Bread, a 45-pound (20 kg) turkey with a height of 32". Both were from Butterball contract farmer Wellie Jackson of Clinton, North Carolina. The pre-slaughtered turkeys again came from Orefield, Pennsylvania. Both Bread and Butter were still alive in November 2020. 2020: Corn, chosen over Cob, owned by Ron and Susie Kardel of West Liberty Foods in West Liberty, Iowa. Both were still alive in November 2021.

Biden presidency 2021: Peanut Butter and Jelly, both 40-pound (18 kg) turkeys raised by Andrea Welp of Jasper, Indiana. As of June 2022, both were still alive, with Purdue stating that the birds had made a "smooth adjustment" to retirement. 2022: Chocolate, a 46-pound (21 kg) turkey, chosen along with Chip, a 47-pound (21 kg) turkey, both raised by NTF chairman Ronnie Parker at Circle S Ranch in Monroe, North Carolina. 2023: Two turkeys from a Jennie-O owned-and-operated farm in Willmar, Minnesota.