Nov. 11, 2025
Governor pardons turkeys ahead of Thanksgiving
Arkansas 4-H members raised guests of honor
By Tracy Courage
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Fast Facts:
- Turkey pardon event highlights state’s turkey industry
- Conway County 4-H members Caroline and Adeline Dixon raised the lucky birds
- Every Butterball turkey sold in U.S. during the holiday season is produced in Arkansas
- Arkansas is No. 3 turkey producer in nation
(513 words)
(Newsrooms: turkey pardon photos)
LITTLE ROCK — Conway County 4-H members Caroline, 11, and Adeline Dixon, 8, took their prize-winning turkeys to the Arkansas Governor’s Mansion on Thursday, where Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders pardoned them ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.
The annual event highlights the contributions of the state’s turkey industry, which produces more than 25 million birds yearly, ranking third nationally for turkey production. In fact, every Butterball turkey purchased in the U.S. during the holidays is processed in Arkansas, said Marvin Childers, president of The Poultry Federation.
“Thanksgiving is about good food, football and time with family, but most importantly, it’s recognizing the incredible blessings we have been given,” Sanders said.
This year the turkey industry is passing on some blessings to others during the holiday season. Butterball donated 32,000 pounds of turkey to the Arkansas Food Bank, and Cargill donated 58,000 pounds to foodbanks.
Arkansas Agriculture Secretary Wes Ward said the donations are especially important right now.
“The ag industry continues to step up and be good partners to address food insecurity in Arkansas. We see that in the poultry and turkey industry particularly,” Ward said. “We have lots to be thankful for with the current ag industry and with future generations. We’re excited to have 4-H and FFA here today. They are the future of agriculture in the state.”
Butterball supplied day-old turkeys to Conway County 4-H members, like the Dixons, who raise the poults. The turkey project teaches youth about animal husbandry practices and about the agriculture industry in general.
The girls, both members of the Ridge Road 4-H Club, have been showing turkeys for a combined nine years. Adeline’s turkey, Sprinkles, was the Conway County fair grand champion turkey, and Caroline’s turkey, Lilly, won the reserve grand champion title earlier this year.
“This was our best year between winning at the fair and now getting our turkeys pardoned by the governor!” Caroline Dixon said.
“They’ve also learned a lot about discipline,” the girls’ father, Zeke Dixon, said. “They got the birds when they were a day old, and they’ve been feeding them twice a day every day.”
Conway County Staff Chair Alicia Hugen, who started the turkey project in her county in 2014, was thrilled for the 4-H members to have such success with their projects.
“I love seeing 4-H members and their families take part in this county project,” Hugen said. “We have wonderful support for this project. Butterball is a great partner, supplying the day-old turkeys, and they work with us on coordinating a pickup location.”
Hugen picked up the turkeys from Theron and Jeanie Rowbotham’s turkey farm in Hagarville, Arkansas, in May and distributed them to several 4-H families, including the Dixons, who participated in the turkey project.
For more information about 4-H opportunities, contact your local extension agent, uaex.uada.edu/counties/. Follow us on Facebook at arkansas.extension and on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas
System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three campuses.
Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
offers all its Extension and Research programs and services (including employment)
without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital
or veteran status, genetic information, sexual preference, pregnancy or any other
legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution.
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Media Contact: Tracy Courage
Director of Communications-Extension
U of A System Division of Agriculture
501-658-2044