Awkward Minnesota turkey non-pardon ceremony continues

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton greets a justifiably terrified turkey on Monday, Nov. 23, in a press conference celebrating the state's position as turkey-producing capital of the nation. In Minnesota, the governor does *not* pardon the turkey. (Minnesota Turkey Growers)

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton greets a justifiably terrified turkey on Monday, Nov. 23, in a press conference celebrating the state’s position as turkey-producing capital of the nation. In Minnesota, the governor does *not* pardon the turkey. (Minnesota Turkey Growers)

On Monday, Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton greeted a frightened turkey in a poorly-lit conference room somewhere near his St. Paul office. While the President typically pardons a turkey every Thanksgiving, turkeys aren’t pardoned here in the nation’s leading turkey-producing state. One ceremonial bird is “greeted,” “petted,” and then whisked back to the turkey farm to rise upon the horizon of a perfect endless day.

This week’s ceremony included the typical acknowledgement of Minnesota’s turkey prowess, a lovely $12,000 donation* by the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association to Hunger Solutions, and special announcements about the state’s recovery from this last spring’s avian flu outbreak. You might recall that Dayton proved Minnesota turkeys were safe back then by feeding quantities of turkey to a large gathering of interns from his office.

Normally this ceremony inaugurates a week of slow news and strategic scandal dumps, but this world has gone mad, my friends. Makes you respect the simplicity of this turkey’s short turn on this blue marble.

Governor Dayton Kicks Off Thanksgiving Week
Minnesota turkey farmers raise 46 million turkeys annually, supporting 26,000 jobs

ST. PAUL, MN – Thanksgiving Week got underway this morning in Saint Paul. Governor Mark Dayton was joined by Agriculture Commissioner Dave Frederickson, Minnesota Turkey Research and Promotion Council President Robert Orsten, Minnesota Turkey Growers Association Executive Director Steve Olson, and Colleen Moriarty of Hunger Solutions Minnesota to bring in the week’s festivities. A Minnesota-grown turkey was on-hand for the occasion.

Minnesota’s 450 turkey farmers raise an estimated 46 million birds in a typical year. While this year’s estimate is closer to 40 million birds, Minnesota remains the largest producer of turkeys in the United States. This production generates $800 million in economic activity every year, and supports 26,000 Minnesota jobs. Turkeys grown in Minnesota also consume $163 million of corn and $169 million of soybean meal – adding approximately $251 million to the value of corn and soybeans in Minnesota.

Governor Dayton, Minnesota’s turkey farmers, and Hunger Solutions Minnesota also addressed ending hunger across the state, encouraging Minnesotans to donate to their local food shelves. More information about those efforts can be found in this news release from the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association.

*  Psst, “donation” means “turkeys, I say, donations are tur-keys!!!!”

Speak Your Mind

*

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.