Iowa governor pardons turkeys in Thanksgiving tradition

DES MOINES - As if on cue, tom turkeys 'Spuds” and 'Gravy” gobbled in unison the moment Gov. Kim Reynolds declared Tuesday she had pardoned them from becoming somebody's Thanksgiving feast.

Reynolds and acting Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg gathered with family members and representatives of Iowa's turkey growers in cold and windy conditions outside the Terrace Hill governor's mansion to continue a long-standing Thanksgiving tradition of issuing a gubernatorial pardon to a lucky pair of birds.

'They are really well-behaved,” Reynolds told Iowa Turkey Federation President Russ Yoder of Wayland. 'I don't know if these turkeys are receiving the same treatment that the federal turkeys were. I think they got put up in a hotel last night. But we know how to do it here in Iowa,” she added, poking fun at the White House's handling of a similar clemency ceremony conducted by President Donald Trump.

Tuesday's gubernatorial pardon means Spuds and Gravy will move from Yoder's Henry County farm to Living History Farms in Urbandale, where they will live the rest of their lives.

'Many families across our nation will have turkey on the table Thursday,” Reynolds said during the proclamation signing. 'Iowa produces about 12.1 million turkeys on about 130 farms each year, so there's a good chance those birds were raised right here in our state. That's why I'm proud to celebrate the industry and upcoming Thanksgiving holiday by pardoning two turkeys: Spuds and Gravy.”

Yoder, a third-generation turkey farmer, said his uncle previously served as Iowa Turkey Federation president and participated in a similar pardoning ceremony 40 years ago with then-Gov. Robert D. Ray.

Iowa currently ranks seventh in U.S. turkey production and fifth in turkey processing.

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